Statement by Secretary of State Ken Detzner Regarding Federal Court’s Approval of Florida’s Right to Remove Non-citizen Voters from Rolls

Judge rules in favor of Department of State in Arcia v. Detzner

Tallahassee, Florida –

"We're very pleased another federal court has ruled that Florida's efforts to remove non-citizens from the voter rolls are lawful and in the best interest of Florida voters. Ensuring ineligible voters can’t cast a ballot is a fundamental aspect of conducting fair elections.

"The Florida Department of State has an obligation to ensure Florida's voter rolls are current and accurate, which means removing ineligible voters when they are identified."

Excerpts from the Court Order:

"Certainly, the NVRA does not require the State to idle on the sidelines until a non-citizen violates the law before the State can act. And surely the NVRA does not require the State to wait until after that critical juncture—when the vote has been cast and the harm has been fully realized—to address what it views as nothing short of 'voter fraud.' "

"The Court finds that the Secretary has a compelling interest in ensuring that the voting rights of citizens are not diluted by the casting of votes by non-citizens."