Date: May 7, 2022

Stay Granted on Florida's Election Law Changes Under the Purcell Principle

Introduction

In the case of League of Women Voters of Florida, Inc. v. Florida Secretary of State, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit addressed significant challenges to Florida's Senate Bill 90 (SB90). This legislation, enacted in 2021, introduced several provisions regulating election processes in Florida. Plaintiffs, including numerous voter advocacy groups, filed lawsuits alleging that certain aspects of SB90 violated constitutional protections and federal voting rights laws. The central issues revolved around provisions governing drop boxes, voter registration, and solicitation near polling places.

Summary of the Judgment

The district court had permanently enjoined three provisions of SB90, imposing a "preclearance" requirement on Florida for any future changes to election laws. This preclearance mandated that Florida seek and obtain approval from the district court before enacting or amending specific election-related statutes for a decade. Florida appealed this decision, seeking a stay of the injunction pending appellate review. The Eleventh Circuit, applying the Purcell principle—a doctrine limiting judicial intervention in election law changes close to an election—granted Florida's motion to stay the district court's injunction.

Analysis

Precedents Cited

The judgment extensively cited several key precedents influencing the court’s decision:

Purcell v. Gonzalez: Established that judicial intervention in election laws close to an election is generally unwarranted to prevent voter confusion.
Milligan v. DiCarlo: Reinforced the Purcell principle by granting a stay on an injunction affecting electoral processes months before an election.
Village of Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corp.: Provided an eight-factor test to assess intentional discrimination in legislative actions.
Shelby County v. Holder: Discussed the irrelevance of historical discrimination in evaluating current legislative intent.

Legal Reasoning

The court's legal reasoning centered on balancing the integrity and administration of elections against potential constitutional violations alleged by the plaintiffs. The Purcell principle was pivotal, as it prioritizes the smooth conduct of elections and minimizes judicial disruptions that could lead to voter confusion, especially in the critical period leading up to elections.

The Eleventh Circuit examined the district court's findings of intentional racial discrimination within SB90. Applying the Arlington Heights factors, the appellate court identified flaws in the district court’s analysis, particularly regarding the consideration of historical discrimination and the presumption of legislative good faith. Furthermore, the court assessed the challenges related to vagueness and overbreadth of the solicitation provision, finding the district court’s judgments insufficiently clearcut.

Given these vulnerabilities in the district court's findings, the appellate court concluded that the state met its burden to obtain a stay under the Purcell framework.

Impact

This judgment has significant implications for future election-related litigation in Florida and potentially other jurisdictions. By granting the stay, the court limits the immediate operational impact of the district court's injunction, allowing Florida to maintain its election processes as defined by SB90 while the appellate review proceeds. Additionally, it reinforces the Purcell principle's role in safeguarding electoral integrity against late-stage judicial interventions.

Complex Concepts Simplified

The Purcell Principle

The Purcell principle originates from the Supreme Court case Purcell v. Gonzalez. It emphasizes the need to minimize judicial interference in state election laws shortly before an election to prevent voter confusion and maintain electoral integrity.

Preclearance Regime

Preclearance requires that certain state laws, particularly those affecting voting, receive approval from federal courts before taking effect. This mechanism aims to prevent discriminatory practices from being enacted.

Intentional Discrimination

Intentional discrimination involves deliberate legislative or policy actions taken to disadvantage a specific racial or ethnic group. Courts assess this through a multi-factor analysis to determine if discriminatory intent underpins the legislation.

Conclusion

The Eleventh Circuit's decision to grant a stay on the district court's injunction against Florida's SB90 provisions underscores the judiciary's commitment to preserving election integrity, especially in the critical periods surrounding elections. By invoking the Purcell principle, the court ensures that electoral processes remain stable and free from last-minute judicial disruptions. However, the court also highlighted weaknesses in the district court's findings of intentional discrimination, signaling that future legal challenges must be robustly substantiated. This judgment serves as a precedent for how courts balance constitutional protections with the paramount need to maintain orderly and fair elections.

Case Details

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FLORIDA, INC., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. FLORIDA SECRETARY OF STATE, et al., Defendants-Appellants

Year: 2022 Court: United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.

Judge(s)

PER CURIAM.

Attorney(S)

Jack Genberg, Bradley E. Heard, Caren E. Short, Southern Poverty Law Center, Decatur, GA, Michelle Kanter Cohen, Cecilia Aguilera, Jason David Sherman, Fair Elections Center, Washington, DC, Nancy Gbana Abudu, Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL, Debra A. Dandeneau, William H. Devaney, III, Carlton Aline Tarpley, Baker & McKenzie LLP, New York, NY, Brendan D. O'Callaghan, Baker & McKenzie, LLP, Washington, DC, Peter William Shapiro, Baker & McKenzie, LLP, San Francisco, CA, Angela Vigil, Baker McKenzie, LLP, Miami, FL, for Plaintiff-Appellee Harriet Tubman Freedom Fighters Corp. Nancy Gbana Abudu, Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL, Cecilia Aguilera, Michelle Kanter Cohen, Jason David Sherman, Fair Elections Center, Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Head Count, Inc. Nancy Gbana Abudu, Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL, Cecilia Aguilera, Jason David Sherman, Fair Elections Center, Washington, DC, Debra A. Dandeneau, William H. Devaney, III, Carlton Aline Tarpley, Baker & McKenzie LLP, New York, for Plaintiffs-Appellees Paralyzed Veterans of America Florida Chapter, Stephen Kirk. Nancy Gbana Abudu, Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL, Cecilia Aguilera, Jason David Sherman, Fair Elections Center, Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Phyllis Resnick. Mohammad O. Jazil, Michael Beato, Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak, PLLC, Tallahassee, FL, William David Chappell, Office of the Attorney General, Tallahassee, FL, John J. Cycon, Kenneth Clark Daines, Phillip Michael Gordon, Dallin B. Holt, Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak PLLC, Haymarket, VA, Ashley E. Davis, Bradley Robert McVay, Colleen E. O'Brien, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL, Benjamin J. Gibson, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Tallahassee, FL, Tyler Richard Green, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Salt Lake City, UT, for Defendant-Appellee Florida Secretary of State. Frank Mari, Roper, PA, Orlando, FL, for Defendants-Appellees Brevard County Supervisor of Elections, Desoto County Supervisor of Elections, Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, Gilchrist County Supervisor of Elections, Gulf County Supervisor of Elections, Highlands County Supervisor of Elections, Jefferson County Supervisor of Elections, Madison County Supervisor of Elections. Karen Ann Brodeen, William Edward Chorba, Bilal Ahmed Faruqui, William H. Stafford, III, Office of the Attorney General, Tallahassee, FL, for Defendant-Appellee Attorney General, State of Florida. Andre V. Bardos, GrayRobinson, PA, Tallahassee, FL, for Defendants-Appellees Lee County Supervisor of Elections, Lake County Supervisor of Elections. Tyler Richard Green, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Salt Lake City, UT, Steven Christopher Begakis, Cameron Thomas Norris, Daniel Joseph Shapiro, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Arlington, VA, Benjamin J. Gibson, George N. Meros, Jr., Daniel Elden Norby, Daniel Nordby, Tara R. Price, Amber Stoner Nunnally, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Tallahassee, FL, Frank Zacherl, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Miami, FL, for Defendant-Appellee National Republican Senatorial Committee. Tyler Richard Green, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Salt Lake City, UT, Cameron Thomas Norris, Daniel Joseph Shapiro, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Arlington, VA, Benjamin J. Gibson, George N. Meros, Jr., Daniel Elden Norby, Daniel Nordby, Tara R. Price, Amber Stoner Nunnally, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Tallahassee, FL, Frank Zacherl, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Miami, FL, for Defendant-Appellee Republican National Committee. Marc Erik Elias, Christina A. Ford, David Robert Fox, Lalitha D. Madduri, Aria Branch, Elisabeth Frost, Francesca Gibson, Elias Law Group, LLP, Washington, DC, Frederick Stanton Wermuth, Thomas A. Zehnder, King Blackwell Zehnder & Wermuth, PA, Orlando, FL, Danielle E. Sivalingam, Perkins Coie LLP, Los Angeles, CA, for Plaintiffs-Appellees League of Women Voters of Florida, League of Women Voters of Florida Education Fund, Inc., Black Voters Matter Fund, Florida Alliance for Retired Americans, Inc., Cecile Scoon, Robert Brigham, Alan Madison. Marc Erik Elias, Christina A. Ford, David Robert Fox, Lalitha D. Madduri, Aria Branch, Elisabeth Frost, Francesca Gibson, Elias Law Group, LLP, Washington, DC, Frederick Stanton Wermuth, King Blackwell Zehnder & Wermuth, PA, Orlando, FL, Danielle E. Sivalingam, Perkins Coie LLP, Los Angeles, CA, for Plaintiff-Appellee Susan Rogers. John A. Freedman, Jeremy Karpatkin, Janine Marie Lopez, Elisabeth S. Theodore, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, Washington, DC, Emily Galindo, Latino Justice, Tampa, FL, Jeffrey Andrew Miller, Arnold & Porter, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, Kira Romero-Craft, Brenda Wright, Demos, New York, NY, Aaron Stiefel, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, for Plaintiffs-Appellees Florida Rising Together, Unidosus. John A. Freedman, Jeremy Karpatkin, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, Washington, DC, Emily Galindo, Latino Justice, Tampa, FL, Jeffrey Andrew Miller, Arnold & Porter, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, Kira Romero-Craft, Demos, New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee Equal Ground Education Fund. John A. Freedman, Jeremy Karpatkin, Janine Marie Lopez, Elisabeth S. Theodore, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, Washington, DC, Emily Galindo, Latino Justice, Tampa, FL, Jeffrey Andrew Miller, Arnold & Porter, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, Kira Romero-Craft, Demos, New York, NY, Aaron Stiefel, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee Hispanic Federation. Elisabeth Frost, Elias Law Group, LLP, Washington, DC, Kira Romero-Craft, Brenda Wright, Demos, New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee Faith in Florida. John A. Freedman, Jeremy Karpatkin, Janine Marie Lopez, Elisabeth S. Theodore, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, Washington, DC, Elisabeth Frost, Elias Law Group, LLP, Washington, DC, Emily Galindo, Latino Justice, Tampa, FL, Jeffrey Andrew Miller, Arnold & Porter, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, Kira Romero-Craft, Brenda Wright, Demos, New York, NY, Aaron Stiefel, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee Poder Latinx. Morenike Fajana, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., New York, NY, Elizabeth T. Fouhey, Covington & Burling, LLP, Washington, DC, Elisabeth Frost, Elias Law Group, LLP, Washington, DC, Amia Trigg, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Florida State Conference of Branches and Youth Units of the NAACP. P. Benjamin Duke, Covington & Burling, LLP, New York, NY, Morenike Fajana, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., New York, NY, Elizabeth T. Fouhey, Covington & Burling, LLP, Washington, DC, Amia Trigg, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Common Cause. P. Benjamin Duke, Covington & Burling, LLP, New York, NY, Morenike Fajana, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., New York, NY, Elizabeth T. Fouhey, Covington & Burling, LLP, Washington, DC, Elisabeth Frost, Elias Law Group, LLP, Washington, DC, Amia Trigg, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Disability Rights Florida. Jack Genberg, Bradley E. Heard, Southern Poverty Law Center, Decatur, GA, Michelle Kanter Cohen, Cecilia Aguilera, Fair Elections Center, Washington, DC, Nancy Gbana Abudu, Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery, AL, for Plaintiff-Appellee Harriet Tubman Freedom Fighters Corp. Leslie Claire Bailey, Samuel Isaac Ferenc, John A. Freedman, Jeremy Karpatkin, Janine Marie Lopez, Elisabeth S. Theodore, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, Washington, DC, Daniel Ross Bernstein, Ryan D. Budhu, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, Andrew C. Case, Latino Justice PRLDEF, New York, NY, Francisca D. Fajana, National Center for Law and Economic Justice, New York, NY, Emily Galindo, Latino Justice, Tampa, FL, Andrew Richard Hirschel, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, Jeffrey Andrew Miller, Arnold & Porter, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, Kira Romero-Craft, Brenda Wright, Demos, New York, NY, Aaron Stiefel, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, Sharion Trenell Scott, Advancement Project, Washington, DC, Esperanza Segarra, Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP, Fort Lauderdale, FL, for Plaintiffs-Appellees Haitian Neighborhood Center Sant La, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund. P. Benjamin Duke, Shira M. Poliak, Covington & Burling, LLP, New York, NY, Benjamin Louis Baer Cavataro, Michael Anthony Fletcher, II, Elizabeth T. Fouhey, Miles Lindsey Galbraith, Jad H. Khazem, Virginia Anne Williamson, Covington & Burling, LLP, Washington, DC, Ellen Choi, Robert D. Fram, Covington & Burling, LLP, San Francisco, CA, Morenike Fajana, Romane De Paul, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., New York, NY, Nellie Linn King, West Palm Beach, FL, Cyrus S. Nasseri, Washington, DC, Amia Trigg, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Florida State Conference of the NAACP. Tyler Richard Green, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Salt Lake City, UT, Cameron Thomas Norris, Daniel Joseph Shapiro, Steven Christopher Begakis, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Arlington, VA, Benjamin J. Gibson, George N. Meros, Jr., Daniel Nordby, Tara R. Price, Amber Stoner Nunnally, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Tallahassee, FL, Frank Zacherl, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Miami, FL, for Intervenors-Appellants Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee. Henry Charles Whitaker, Karen Ann Brodeen, William Edward Chorba, Bilal Ahmed Faruqui, Rachel Siegel, William H. Stafford, III, Office of the Attorney General, Tallahassee, FL, for Defendant-Appellant Florida Attorney General. Andre V. Bardos, James Timothy Moore, Jr., GrayRobinson, PA, Tallahassee, FL, for Defendant-Appellant Lake County Supervisor of Elections for Docket Numbers 22-11143, 22-11144, 22-11145. P. Benjamin Duke, Covington & Burling, LLP, New York, NY, Benjamin Louis Baer Cavataro, Uttara Dukkipati, Michael Anthony Fletcher, II, Elizabeth T. Fouhey, Dillon Grimm, Jad H. Khazem, Virginia Anne Williamson, Covington & Burling, LLP, Washington, DC, Ellen Choi, Robert D. Fram, Covington & Burling, LLP, San Francisco, CA, Morenike Fajana, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., New York, NY, Nellie Linn King, West Palm Beach, FL, Cyrus S. Nasseri, Washington, DC, Amia Trigg, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Florida State Conference of Branches and Youth Units of the NAACP for Docket Number 22-11144. P. Benjamin Duke, Shira M. Poliak, Covington & Burling, LLP, New York, NY, Benjamin Louis Baer Cavataro, Uttara Dukkipati, Michael Anthony Fletcher, II, Elizabeth T. Fouhey, Dillon Grimm, Jad H. Khazem, Virginia Anne Williamson, Miles Lindsey Galbraith, Covington & Burling, LLP, Washington, DC, Ellen Choi, Robert D. Fram, Nia Joyner, Covington & Burling, LLP, San Francisco, CA, Morenike Fajana, Romane De Paul, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., New York, NY, Nellie Linn King, West Palm Beach, FL, Cyrus S. Nasseri, Washington, DC, Amia Trigg, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Disability Rights Florida for Docket Number 22-11144. P. Benjamin Duke, Shira M. Poliak, Covington & Burling, LLP, New York, NY, Benjamin Louis Baer Cavataro, Uttara Dukkipati, Michael Anthony Fletcher, II, Elizabeth T. Fouhey, Dillon Grimm, Jad H. Khazem, Virginia Anne Williamson, Miles Lindsey Galbraith, Covington & Burling, LLP, Washington, DC, Ellen Choi, Robert D. Fram, Nia Joyner, Covington & Burling, LLP, San Francisco, CA, Morenike Fajana, Romane De Paul, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., New York, NY, Cyrus S. Nasseri, Washington, DC, Amia Trigg, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee Common Cause for Docket Number 22-11144. Mohammad O. Jazil, Michael Beato, Gary V. Perko, Attorney, Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak, PLLC, Tallahassee, FL, William David Chappell, Office of the Attorney General, Tallahassee, FL, John J. Cycon, Kenneth Clark Daines, Phillip Michael Gordon, Dallin B. Holt, Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak PLLC, Haymarket, VA, Ashley E. Davis, Bradley Robert McVay, Colleen E. O'Brien, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL, for Defendant-Appellant Florida Secretary of State for Docket Numbers 22-11144, 22-11145. Andre V. Bardos, James Timothy Moore, Jr., GrayRobinson, PA, Tallahassee, FL, for Defendant-Appellant Lee County Supervisor of Elections for Docket Numbers 22-11144, 22-11145. Tyler Richard Green, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Salt Lake City, UT, Cameron Thomas Norris, Daniel Joseph Shapiro, Steven Christopher Begakis, Consovoy McCarthy, PLLC, Arlington, VA, Benjamin J. Gibson, George N. Meros, Jr., Daniel Nordby, Tara R. Price, Amber Stoner Nunnally, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Tallahassee, FL, Frank Zacherl, Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Miami, FL, for Defendants-Appellants Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee for Docket Numbers 22-11144, 22-11145. John A. Freedman, Jeremy Karpatkin, Janine Marie Lopez, Elisabeth S. Theodore, Leslie Claire Bailey, Samuel Isaac Ferenc, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, Washington, DC, Emily Galindo, Latino Justice, Tampa, FL, Jeffrey Andrew Miller, Arnold & Porter, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, Kira Romero-Craft, Brenda Wright, Demos, New York, NY, Aaron Stiefel, Daniel Ross Bernstein, Ryan D. Budhu, Andrew Richard Hirschel, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, Andrew C. Case, Latino Justice PRLDEF, New York, NY, Francisca D. Fajana, National Center for Law and Economic Justice, New York, NY, Sabrina S. Khan, Sharion Trenell Scott, Advancement Project, Washington, DC, Esperanza Segarra, Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP, Fort Lauderdale, FL, for Plaintiffs-Appellees Florida Rising Together, Unidosus for Docket Number 22-11145. John A. Freedman, Jeremy Karpatkin, Janine Marie Lopez, Elisabeth S. Theodore, Leslie Claire Bailey, Samuel Isaac Ferenc, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, Washington, DC, Emily Galindo, Latino Justice, Tampa, FL, Jeffrey Andrew Miller, Arnold & Porter, LLP, Palo Alto, CA, Kira Romero-Craft, Brenda Wright, Demos, New York, NY, Aaron Stiefel, Daniel Ross Bernstein, Ryan D. Budhu, Andrew Richard Hirschel, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, New York, NY, Andrew C. Case, Latino Justice PRLDEF, New York, NY, Francisca D. Fajana, National Center for Law and Economic Justice, New York, NY, Sharion Trenell Scott, Advancement Project, Washington, DC, Esperanza Segarra, Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP, Fort Lauderdale, FL, for Plaintiffs-Appellees Unidosus, Equal Ground Education Fund, Hispanic Federation, Poder Latinx, Haitian Neighborhood Center Sant La, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, for Docket Number 22-11145.