DeSantis’ new election crimes unit makes its first arrests

Comment on this story

comment

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced the first arrests made by the state’s new election police force: 20 people previously incarcerated for murder or sexual assault who he said had voted illegally in the 2020 elections.

Florida’s GOP-led legislature passed a bill creating the Office of Election Crimes and Security earlier this year at DeSantis’ urging. While the 2020 election went smoothly in Florida — DeSantis called it the “gold standard” for elections — the governor has said there are still problems, and conservative lawmakers have sought to further tighten voting regulations.

The governor, widely considered a potential 2024 presidential contender, announced the arrests, saying the unit had “moved into action to hold people accountable for election fraud.” DeSantis said they had been arrested for violating the rules of a constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2018 that allows previously incarcerated people to register to vote, except for those who committed a crime of sexual assault or murder.

“This is just the opening salvo,” DeSantis said. “This is not the full sum for 2020.”

But polling groups and experts said if anything the initial arrests indicate Florida’s election system is robust and crime is rare. Some expressed concern that the new unit could have a chilling effect, particularly on vulnerable groups of voters, such as formerly incarcerated people who are legally eligible to vote.

“That’s 20 people out of millions of voters,” Michael McDonald, a voting expert and professor of political science at the University of Florida. “These arrests are inconsequential to the integrity of the electoral system.”

DeSantis made the announcement flanked by law enforcement officers in Broward County, which has the most registered Democrats of any county in Florida. The arrests came about six weeks after the office opened and five days before the state’s primary election.

In recent years, Florida has introduced new voting regulations. The legislation was passed in 2021 and this year reduced the number of ballot boxes and also makes possession of more than two ballots a crime. DeSantis said he aims to eliminate “vote harvesting.” Voting rights advocates say it criminalizes the once-common practice in places like black churches where volunteers collected and delivered ballots.

For those convicted of felony crimes, the process of renewing voting rights can be cumbersome. Legislation signed by DeSantis requires them to pay all fines and fees stemming from their convictions, a process that is confusing because there is no central database for citizens and election supervisors to consult.

“To this day, we believe that if the state can’t hold up its end of the bargain, it should hesitate to start jeopardizing an individual’s liberty,” said Desmond Meade, executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. “The state system is broken. These people should never have been registered.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (D), a former Florida governor who is vying to face DeSantis in the upcoming gubernatorial election, said Thursday’s arrests were about “playing politics” and intimidating voters in instead of securing elections.

“Ron DeSantis likes to say we had one of the best-run elections in 2020,” Crist said. “So why spend millions to disrupt the system, including making it harder for people to vote?”

The arrests come as election workers and officials have faced an ongoing barrage of criticism and personal attacks in response to Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 White House race was tainted by fraud , a lie that has aroused distrust among his followers. in the veracity of the country’s electoral system.

DeSantis has defended and has continued to defend the accuracy and efficiency of Florida election offices, but said voter fraud still occurs. The Florida Department of State received 262 voter fraud complaint forms in 2020 and referred 75 to law enforcement or prosecutors. About 11 million Floridians voted for president that November.

“Before proposing this, this was my idea, because people were not prosecuted. There were just examples of things that seemed to fall through the cracks,” DeSantis said.

Thursday’s event, held in an audience room in a public building, had a partisan tone. Attendees had to be on a list to enter the room, and a woman who identified herself as a Palm Beach County Republican Party volunteer controlled who could enter.

At least one Democrat, Ben Sorensen, a Democrat who is Fort Lauderdale’s vice mayor and a candidate for Congress, tried to get into the event but was denied entry. Inside, DeSantis employees seated the media in the back of the room. Guests, including Republican supporters and officials from across South Florida, sat in the jury room. Many carried signs reading “My Vote Counts” that were passed around minutes before DeSantis entered the room.

Jasmine Burney-Clark, founder of the Equal Ground Education Fund, which advocates for voting rights, said the arrests could instill fear in people who recently regained the right to vote.

“This creates a lot of fear for people who have already voted,” Burney-Clarke said.

McDonald, the University of Florida professor, expressed concern that Thursday’s arrests indicate that officials are targeting specific groups of voters, particularly those who have been previously incarcerated.

He noted that Trump had to fix his voter registration in 2020 when he said his address was the White House, making him ineligible to vote in Florida.

“I wouldn’t go after Donald Trump for this. He made a mistake and he corrected it,” McDonald said. “I think other people should be given the same consideration that was given to Donald Trump.”

Amy Gardner in Washington contributed to this report.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *