TALLAHASSEE, FL – Today, Judge Mark Walker, the Chief U.S. District Judge in Northern Florida, issued a court order granting a preliminary injunction requiring Florida’s Secretary of State and the Supervisors of Elections of 32 Florida counties to take further steps to comply with section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act. The order requires the Secretary of State to ensure that those 32 counties provide official ballots in both Spanish and English, Spanish language election assistance, and Spanish translations of other voting materials for elections beginning with the 2020 presidential primary election. This decision comes after a lawsuit was brought against the Florida Secretary of State focusing on 32 counties where a significant number of Puerto Rican voters reside.
As part of the order, the court paused further proceedings in the case while the Secretary of State considers adopting rules throughout Florida that would require the provision of Spanish-language ballots, election materials, and assistance in future elections. The organizations involved in the lawsuit are now focusing their efforts on ensuring that the result of that rulemaking process complies with the Voting Rights Act.
