About 60 protesters lined U.S. 441 in front of Sen. Dennis Baxley’s empty office in Lady Lake on Saturday.

The Democrats and religious leaders denounced a bill that would eliminate ballot drop boxes.

The Rev. John Brown looks on as the Rev. Sandy Haxton tapes a petition signed by ministers to the door of Sen. Dennis Baxley’s office in Lady Lake. They oppose SB 90 as “an attack on our democracy.” Photo: Joe Byrnes

They held signs against SB 90.  They also opposed a House bill increasing criminal penalties for people involved when protests turn violent.

Baxley’s bill eliminates voter drop boxes, restricts vote by mail, deletes current mail-in ballot requests and requires a new one each election cycle.

Organizers say those changes, coming after a smooth election in Florida, are meant to suppress minority votes.

Patty Jackson,71,  of Groveland wore a red-white-and-blue mask saying “Hate has no place here.”

“All of these tactics,” she said, “we’re going back unfortunately to Jim Crow, and we hopefully don’t want to go back there.”

Villages Trump-supporter Debbie Odom was there to confront protesters.

“I want to improve voter election and ID,” she said. “I want people to prove that they’re alive. I want to prove that they live in one state and that they’re actually a resident voting legally.”