FORT LAUDERDALE – With members of the Broward Sheriff’s Office standing behind him at the county’s courthouse, Gov. Ron DeSantis touted election reforms enacted during his administration.
Included in the reforms was the creation of the Election Crimes and Security Office.
On Thursday, he announced that they had charged 20 people with voter fraud. They were mostly in Miami-Dade and Broward.
The governor said they voted while being convicted of murder or sexual assault which is a violation of Florida law.
“They do not have the right to vote, they have been disenfranchised under Florida law. Amendment 4 that passed specifically included people who have been convicted of sexual assault and homicide from being able to have an automatic restoration of their voting rights. They did not go through any process, they did not get their rights restored, and yet they went ahead and voted anyway,” said DeSantis.
He said they are being charged with election fraud, a third-degree felony.
They could face a $5,000 fine and up to five years in prison.
DeSantis said Supervisors of Elections have been notified to be on the lookout for this type of crime and for illegal immigrants who may be on their voter rolls.
