The Florida Legislature approved an election bill that requires voters to present proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport, to participate in elections, in line with a law that President Donald Trump is trying to impose across the country.
The Republican-controlled Florida House of Representatives approved the measure last night with 77 votes in favor and 28 against, a day after the Senate approved it.
The initiative requires a valid photo ID, such as a passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, ID-compatible driver’s license or military ID card, and does not accept student, social assistance or association cards.
This new initiative, which will become official as soon as it is signed by the state governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, will come into force in January 2027.
The measure, which will not affect this year’s midterm elections, in which DeSantis’ successor will also be chosen, will guarantee the integrity of the elections, according to Republicans. The right to vote was already denied to non-American citizens in this state.
The Florida Department of Election Security and Crime revealed last January that 198 potential non-citizens voted illegally in 2025, out of a total of more than 13 million people registered to vote.
The Democratic caucus criticized the bill, saying thousands of people would “lose” their right to vote.
The bill’s passage in Florida comes as Trump’s SAVE America Act faces a difficult path in the U.S. Senate after being approved by the House of Representatives.
This measure requires voters to present identification, although 32 of the 50 states already have this requirement, and the rest have alternative methods to verify a voter’s identity.
The law, which would also require states to request proof of citizenship for voter registration, became a political battleground for the president, who, in his eagerness to pass it, even mentioned the possibility of issuing an executive order to circumvent a possible rejection by the Senate.
