Florida and Mississippi Enact Voter Citizenship Checks as Federal Legislation Stalls

New state laws face legal challenges from civil rights groups over concerns about voter disenfranchisement.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:03pm

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A fractured, abstract painting in red, white, and blue hues depicting a voter registration form or ID document, conveying the complex and contentious nature of the debate over voting rights and election integrity.The battle over voting rights and election integrity continues to intensify, with new state laws sparking legal challenges and political divisions.Fort Lauderdale Today

Governors in Florida and Mississippi have signed into law measures that require officials to verify the citizenship of voters, even as similar federal legislation pushed by former President Donald Trump has stalled in Congress. The new state laws are facing immediate legal challenges from civil rights organizations who argue the requirements will make it harder for eligible citizens to vote.

Why it matters

These new state laws are part of a broader push by Republican-led states to tighten voting rules, which critics say disproportionately impacts minority and low-income voters. The legal battles over these citizenship verification requirements could have significant implications for voting rights and election integrity heading into the 2028 presidential election cycle.

The details

The Florida law, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, requires voters to provide a birth certificate, passport or naturalization certificate as proof of citizenship if their eligibility is challenged. Civil rights groups argue many eligible voters lack these documents. The Mississippi law, signed by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, mandates additional citizenship checks for voter registration applicants who don't provide a driver's license number.

  • The Florida law's citizenship provision takes effect on January 1, 2027.
  • The Mississippi law goes into effect on July 1, 2026.

The players

Ron DeSantis

The Republican governor of Florida who signed the new voter citizenship verification law.

Tate Reeves

The Republican governor of Mississippi who signed a similar voter citizenship verification law.

Southern Poverty Law Center

A civil rights organization that has filed a lawsuit challenging the Mississippi law, arguing it could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters.

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What they’re saying

“In Florida, we will always stand up for election integrity.”

— Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida

“This is another win for election integrity in Mississippi (and America). We will continue to do everything in our power to make it infinitely harder – with a goal to make it impossible – to cheat in our elections!”

— Tate Reeves, Governor of Mississippi

What’s next

The legal challenges to the new state laws are expected to continue working their way through the courts, with potential appeals reaching the U.S. Supreme Court in the coming years.

The takeaway

These new state-level voting restrictions highlight the ongoing partisan battles over election integrity and voter access, with Republicans pushing for tighter controls and Democrats arguing the measures will disenfranchise vulnerable populations. The outcomes of these legal fights could have far-reaching implications for the future of U.S. elections.