Florida and federal authorities charge 24 defendants in election fraud crackdown

Authorities in Florida and the U.S. Department of Justice have announced charges against 24 individuals for election-related crimes across two battleground states. In Florida, 20 defendants face felony charges following investigations by the state’s Office of Election Crimes and Security and county supervisors of elections.

The Florida cases involve 16 noncitizens accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register and vote, and four convicted felons accused of voting while on probation. Investigators utilized federal immigration databases, voter registration rolls, and poll-book signatures to verify eligibility. If convicted of these third-degree felonies, many defendants could face up to 10 years in prison.

Separately, the Justice Department announced charges against four noncitizens in Pennsylvania for similar election offenses. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that the state has prioritized election integrity, noting that over 100 voter fraud prosecutions have been launched since the creation of the state’s election crimes office.