Concern is growing across the nation that new laws in some 30 Republican-led states, including Florida, effectively restrict the registration of new voters and make it more difficult for some registered voters to participate in future elections.

Therefore, voter's rights advocates are stepping up their efforts to register people to participate in the 2012 presidential and national elections, to combat what they view as voter suppression.

The main thrust by all who advocate for voter's rights is to start planning for the biggest get-out-the-vote drive in Florida's history, especially in regions and among ethnic groups where voter suppression is suspected or feared.

In Florida, the controversial laws include requirements for voters to prove their identify with state-issued photo IDs, reduction of the number of days and hours allotted for early voting, removal of voting rights for ex-felons and revision of policies pertaining to new-voter registration.

This has led to claims by opposing Democrats, and organizations like the NAACP that states led by Republican governments are trying to disenfranchise or suppress voters (primarily Blacks, Latinos, women, students and seniors) to weaken the success Democrats had in the 2008 presidential and general elections.

In defense of introducing these new voting laws, Republican lawmakers argue that they are necessary to prevent voter fraud, although there is little evidence of voter fraud across the U.S.

Ironically, Florida was host to the most destructive voter fraud charges from the 2000 presidential elections, which delayed the outcome for weeks and held the nation in suspense while state ballots were counted and recounted. It took the U.S. Supreme Court ruling a month after the presidential elections to stop the recounting fiasco, resulting in Florida Secretary of State, Republican Katherine Harris, certifying the 537 vote lead George W. Bush held over Al Gore.

To this day, the strange, questionable circumstances surrounding the Florida recount have many Americans believing that the mother-of-all-election-frauds took place in Florida in 2000.

However, the Florida crisis did not involve perceived fraud from voters. Officials faced the brunt of the responsibility, if any fraud took place.

Despite the lack of evidence of voter fraud in any state, except for allegations made against the voter registration organization ACORN after the 2008 general elections, it is important and responsible for states to have laws that counteract voter fraud. But, while taking steps to counter such fraud, it is important the laws do not disenfranchise the rights of voters allotted by the federal government under the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Because of the Voting Rights Act, several people, mainly those not aware of the provisions of the U.S. Constitution, question why the states have so much influence on voter's rights.

Though, the Voting Rights Act is a federal law, the Constitution gives state governments the right to set voting standards. The Constitution, however, clearly stipulates states cannot limit the right to vote on account of race, gender or age, and eliminates the right to vote based on the payment of a poll tax, as existed before 1965.

However, the Constitution doesn't prevent states from passing laws regulating voter registration policies, IDs for voters, the duration and times for early voting, or on voting rights for ex-felons.

Opposing state legislators, community and citizens groups are responsible for ensuring laws do not disenfranchise voters.

The passage of new laws requiring voters to have state issued photo-IDs for identification at polling places are drawing the greatest protests and allegations of voter disenfranchisement.

In Florida, voters have been required to present suitable IDs for state elections, and the law, compared to other states, is less rigid. This law requires voters to present current, valid picture identification at polling places. IDs include Florida driver's license, Florida ID card issued by the Department of Highway safety and Motor Vehicles, U.S. Passport, debit or credit card, and either military, student, retirement center, neighborhood association or public assistance ID. If the picture identification does not contain the signature of the voter, additional identification that provides the voter's signature is required. But, the law allows registered voters, to cast votes even if they cannot provide proper ID, using a provisional ballot, subject to verification by the canvassing board.

Getting out the vote will be challenging, but close to 100 percent turnout of registered voters on Election Day 2012 will nullify any attempt to suppress or disenfranchise the state's voters.