Florida election fraud: Noncitizens and felons charged in voting crackdown
LAKE WORTH, Fla. - Attorney General James Uthmeier and Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that 20 defendants face felony charges in a statewide voter fraud operation.
Florida voter fraud operation
The backstory:
During a joint perss conference on Thursday, the governor and attorney general announced that state prosecutors are prosecuting 20 people accused of casting illegal ballots in Florida elections, including the 2024 General Election. The group includes 16 foreign nationals who allegedly lied about U.S. citizenship to register and four convicted felons who voted while serving probation.
Investigators used federal databases, voter registration rolls and poll-book signatures to verify the claims. Most of the defendants face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the third-degree felony charges.
RELATED: Canadian woman living in Florida federally charged with illegally voting in 3 elections: DOJ
DeSantis said that since he signed legislation creating the Office of Election Crimes and Security, state authorities have launched over 100 voter fraud prosecutions. More than half of those cases began after Uthmeier assumed the attorney general role.
The investigations began after referrals from county Supervisors of Elections and state election officials. Federal immigration officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services assisted state agents in verifying the citizenship status of registered voters.
‘Zero tolerance for voter fraud’
What they're saying:
"We have prioritized election integrity in Florida, and we have zero tolerance for voter fraud," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "I was proud to announce that the newly formed Association of State and Local Election Officials will bring together election officials from across the country to improve election administration and restore public trust in our electoral systems. Under the leadership of Cord Byrd and James Uthmeier, we are committed to helping other states replicate the successes we have seen in Florida."
"Florida will not allow anyone to steal the vote of Americans at the ballot box," said Attorney General James Uthmeier. "These defendants swore they were qualified electors, cast ballots in our elections, and later confirmed they were never eligible to vote. Thanks to our Statewide Prosecutors, FDLE, the Florida Department of State, and USCIS, they are being held accountable."
"Every legal vote cast deserves to be defended, which is why all credible allegations of election fraud demand a thorough review," said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. "The Office of Election Crimes and Security continues to investigate these potential crimes with rigor and impartiality ensuring voters their trust is well-placed."
"Florida’s elections laws are not mere suggestions," said Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay. "The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will hold these defendants accountable and remains ready to prosecute anyone else who chooses to violate our election laws."
"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is leveraging its expertise to aid local investigations of aliens residing in the United States," said USCIS Spokesman Zach Kahler. "Every day, the dedicated men and women of USCIS are working to root out immigration fraud wherever it occurs, hold bad actors accountable, and to help protect the rights of American citizens."
Voter fraud investigation continues
What's next:
This is an active investigation and additional arrests and charges are expected.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a press release issued by the Office of Attorney General James Uthmeier, which explained the charges brought by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, as well as statements provided by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Cord Byrd, Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay and USCIS Spokesman Zach Kahler.