Florida Democratic Party Responds to State Department Blocking Citizen Initiatives from 2026 Ballot in their Latest Attempt at Voter Suppression

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The Florida’s State Department announced that no citizen-led initiatives submitted enough verified signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot, effectively shutting Floridians out of the direct democracy process. The Florida Democratic Party issued the following statement in response.

“Citizen-led initiatives are an important part of Florida elections because it’s the way everyday people can hold politicians accountable when they refuse to listen. So when the State claims that not a single citizen initiative qualifies for the ballot, it’s not just suspicious, it’s part of a deliberate effort to silence voters,” said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.

 “When politicians are this desperate to block the ballot, it tells you exactly who they’re afraid of: the people. We’ve seen this governor not only create his own police force to intimidate voters who participate in petition initiatives, but also steal millions of state dollars from children and families to control the outcome of elections. Now they’re denying ballot access while redrawing maps to favor the Republican Party, because they’ve seen how Democrats have performed since Trump has taken office. This is not democracy, it’s domination.”

Floridians deserve fair access, fair maps, and the freedom to decide their own future. Democrats will keep fighting to protect the right to vote and the right to be heard.

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