Florida voters face new ID rules as election bill heads to DeSantis

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida lawmakers have approved a sweeping elections bill that would require citizenship verification for voter registration and change what identification voters can use at the polls.

House Bill 991 passed the Florida Legislature this week and now heads to Governor Ron DeSantis for consideration. If signed into law, the changes would take effect January 1, 2027, after the next midterm election cycle.

Supporters say the legislation strengthens election security and helps ensure only eligible voters cast ballots.

“I strongly agree you’ve got to have proof of citizenship to vote,” said Lee County resident Ed Lentz. “It’s one of our most sacred rights as a citizen.”

The bill would require election officials to verify a voter’s citizenship during the voter registration process by checking government databases, including records from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

According to the Lee County Supervisor of Elections Office, if citizenship cannot be verified through those databases, voters may be asked to provide additional documentation to confirm their eligibility.

If a voter’s eligibility cannot be verified at the polls, they may still cast a provisional ballot, but they must later provide proof of eligibility for the vote to be counted.

The bill would also change which forms of identification are accepted at polling places.

Under current Florida law, voters can use more than a dozen forms of photo identification, including student IDs and retirement community IDs. The new legislation would remove those options from the list of acceptable IDs.

Some voters worry those changes could make it harder for certain groups to vote.

FGCU student Lilly Simons said students who are from out of state could face additional hurdles.

“It would be harder for college students to vote if they have to get a Florida ID when they’re already from somewhere else,” Simons said.

Organizations that work with seniors say older voters sometimes already need help navigating voting requirements.

Declan Sheehy, chief advancement officer with Senior Friendship Centers, said additional changes to identification rules could create extra steps for some seniors.

“Every time we make a change where we change access, we make it more difficult for seniors who already have a difficult time navigating these things,” Sheehy said.

Senior Friendship Centers helps older adults register to vote and obtain identification when needed.

Lee County election officials say the delayed start date gives local election offices time to prepare.

“The recently passed legislation takes effect on January 1, 2027, allowing our office to conduct an informational campaign to inform voters about any changes that could affect them,” the Lee County Supervisor of Elections Office said in a statement.

Officials also expect both administrative and operational changes as the law is implemented.

Some voters say they see both sides of the issue.

FGCU student Parker Eyre said he believes stronger voter verification could improve election integrity, but also acknowledged potential challenges for older voters.

“I do think it will help with voter integrity in the long run,” Eyre said. “But older people might not be able to drive [to get their id].”

If signed by the governor, election officials say they will work to educate voters about any new requirements before the law takes effect in 2027.