[EL] Florida Voter Registration Oath

[Richard Winger]

The Florida Supreme Court upheld that provision in Fields v Askew, 279 So 2d 822 (1973).  The unanimous, short decision says it is no different from the oath that public employees must take, or that members of the Court itself had to take.  It says, grumpily, "All too often there are those who stoutly demand their rights while making a mockery of the legal process which assures them the rights which they are demanding."

Richard Winger

415-922-9779

PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147

--- On Wed, 1/9/13, Doug Hess <douglasrhess at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Doug Hess <douglasrhess at gmail.com>
Subject: [EL] Florida Voter Registration Oath
To: "Election Law" <Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu>
Date: Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:50 AM

I just noticed that the FL Voter Registration Application requires a
signature next to the following (labeled Oath on the form):

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of
Florida, that I am qualified to register as an elector under the
Constitution and laws of the State of Florida, and that all
information provided in this application is true."

Two questions:

1) The protect and defend language surprised me, since I'm not sure
exactly what that means for civilian citizens other than "don't be
treasonous." Do other states have such language?

2) Is the language before the first comma in the oath used in other
contexts? (Aside from oaths taken by uniformed services and public
officials.)

Douglas R. Hess, PhD
ph. 202-277-6400
douglasrhess at gmail.com
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