Florida Adopts Emergency Rule for Third Party Voter Registration

As a result of a Federal Court order preliminarily enjoining the provisions of Fla. Stat. 97.0575 concerning third party voter registration organizations, the Florida Secretary of State has adopted an emergency rule to bring Florida procedures in compliance with the court order.  In a statement of justification for the emergency rule, the state explains that an emergency rule is necessary to provide immediate guidance to third party voter registration organizations and supervisors of elections until a permanent rule is adopted.  Among other provisions, the emergency rule changes the time period set forth in the statute from 48 hours to 10 days for an organization to deliver a completed voter registration application to the Division of Elections or to a supervisor of elections office.

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Thomas D. Shults, Esq.

About Thomas D. Shults, Esq.

Tom Shults is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer. He has represented clients in election and sunshine law issues, complex business and commercial disputes and probate and trust suits. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1983 and has maintained an active trial practice in state and federal courts for over 35 years. Mr. Shults successfully represented the Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections in Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections et al. v. Browning et al. , where the Florida Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of Sarasota County’s charter election law amendments. Mr. Shults has served on the Professional Ethics Committee of The Florida Bar and is the past Chairman of the Code and Rules of Evidence Committee of The Florida Bar. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Community Service Award of the Sarasota County Bar Association for his work with the Sarasota Mental Health Community Centers. In 2013 he was nominated for circuit court judge by the 12th Circuit Judicial Nominating Committee. Mr. Shults has served on the faculty of the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques at Emory University School of Law and on the faculty of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy Program for Practicing Lawyers at Nova Southeastern University School of Law. Mr. Shults grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida and is a graduate of St. Petersburg High School (1973), Florida State University (B.S. 1977) and Washburn University School of Law (J.D. cum laude 1982). He is veteran of the United States Army.
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