Voter Outreach Groups Face Challenges Amid New Voting Restrictions

In the wake of new voting restrictions, voter outreach organizations like Florida’s Equal Ground Education Fund have significantly altered their operations. The group, which previously hired over 100 people for in-person voter registration, has faced a reduction in staff and funding due to a state law enacted last year. Genesis Robinson, the interim executive director, expressed that the law has “tremendous impact” on their ability to engage with communities.

The Florida law, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, imposes hefty fines on third-party voter registration groups if their staff or volunteers have felony convictions or are not U.S. citizens. It also increases potential fines and shortens the time for returning registration applications.

A federal judge has blocked parts of the law, but its effects were felt before the ruling. The League of Women Voters in Florida, a plaintiff in the case, has shifted from in-person to digital voter registration. Cecile Scoon, the league’s co-president, noted the loss of personal connection and the challenges of digital tools.

Voter advocacy is deemed essential by Derby Johnson, a voter who believes these groups counteract efforts to suppress votes in minority communities. Similarly, MOVE Texas has adapted by training staff and volunteers to navigate the state’s election overhaul.

In Kansas, a new bill criminalizing impersonation of election officials led Loud Light Kansas to halt its registration efforts. Missouri’s new law, which bans compensation for voter registration and imposes registration requirements on those assisting voters, is currently challenged in court.

Megan Bellamy from the Voting Rights Lab anticipates continued efforts to restrict voter outreach activities, highlighting the targeting of third-party voter registration groups as part of a broader legislative trend.