Nine charged in Alachua County as part of ongoing statewide voter fraud investigation
Nine people have been charged in Alachua County with election crimes, with several more under investigation following complaints filed by a Gainesville database researcher.
At least eight are currently inmates in the county jail, while one was recently released.
The group, all of whom voted by mail from the jail, is the first batch of dozens who could face criminal charges in an ongoing, far-reaching law enforcement investigation spanning the Sunshine State.
Mark Glaeser, who has a history of filing complaints against government officials, identified the group of voters and notified prosecutors last year. He says he has identified nearly 2,000 sex offenders in Florida who illegally registered to vote in the 2020 election, roughly 25% of whom voted.
Those charged in Alachua County on Wednesday are not sex offenders.
In total, he has filed complaints on about 75 sex offenders across 11 counties that he said didn’t meet the threshold to cast ballots following the passage of Amendment 4, which was intended to restore voting rights for people convicted of felonies. Some of those counties include Marion, Lake, Sumter, Gadsden, Leon and Seminole.
If all are proven to have illegally cast ballots, the number of individuals charged would not sway any of the major races in the 2020 election.
Amendment 4, which took effect in 2019, was passed by nearly two-thirds of Florida voters and was supposed to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions, except those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who had completed their sentences. Republican lawmakers, however, passed a bill requiring that a convicted felon’s fees, court costs and restitution be paid before their voting rights are fully restored.
So, I suppose that if one commits armed robbery, home invasion, larceny, arson, DUI, etc. etc…and pays their debt to society, it’s OK to vote. But let one commit any one of a huge variety of sex offenses and that’s it…they just have to continue paying taxes so that politicians can squander the funds without ‘certain taxpayers’ having a say. I believe that’s what our founders considered when they followed the policy of ‘no taxation without representation’.
I no longer live in Florida. The state where I live is, I would say, no better or worse than Florida overall for my situation. The grass looks greener, but usually it’s just full of manure. That being said, I am able to vote, they do it automatically when you get your driver’s license, with nothing indicating my status being forced to register. I think it is horrible that an adult living in this “free” country would ever lose their rights to vote. Hopefully Florida does better in the future.
Hopeful
Sometimes I feel like the U.S is a mini Europe/Asia. Florida being Russia. I feel the way we are being treated after completing our sentences, is something they would do in a communist country. Punishment after the punishment, and make examples of those who dare commit a similar crime.
Hopeful
When I lived in Florida I registered to vote while I was at the DMV and got my shiny Florida license with the statue on the bottom. After 5 years of living in Florida as a registrant I got tired of being treated worse than swamp scum, so I left and moved back up north. The grass isn’t greener here because it snows, but life is better and as close to normal which gives me peace. Only registry I should be on is for voting. Well some people would say I should be on a Pain in the Neck Registry; which sometimes I admit it. Don’t like insulting people, yet I say what’s on my mind and sometimes the emotions get to me.
As of now I don’t see things getting better in Florida, unless registrants push back at the tyranny in Tallahassee and on the county level. FAC and it’s volunteers can’t do this without registrants and their families being involved. Use your voice on Calls to Action, use your voice at commissioners’ meetings if you are allowed, use your voice to go to Tallahassee and testify against/for bills before they become law, and use your voice to educate those who are unfamiliar with the registry and it’s impacts. With unity comes change otherwise the status quo rut continues and that shouldn’t be an option. Never give up or give in to those who want to oppress you.
Brandon
Look how long it took women and black people to be able to vote. They did nothing wrong expect be the wrong race or gender according to some. So I believe we have a Longgggggg road ahead before we get freedom.
Every time I see a victory (Michigan) it sometimes later turns into a disappointment. They just re-write the registry requirements and place everyone back on it. Rinse and repeat. What it will take is for a Federal judge to declare the registry, at least as written, to be punishment. And we know that is not likely to happen.
Sorry if I am sounding negative but all our voices and opinions need to be heard, not just the feel good fluff. The truth hurts and we have a long road to walk. I was going to say I will probably be in a nursing home before we see any relief, then I remembered, we are banned from nursing homes.
On February 1, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Walker ruled Florida’s process for the restoration of voting abilities for felons unconstitutional, saying it violated the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment. (Hence, the impetus to enact amendment 4.)
Yet sex offenders (and murderers) are still subject to this same unconstitutional process!!
Amendment 4 is unconstitutional on its face. This is a slam dunk for sex offenders.
JJJJ
It is ok if sex offenders cannot vote. Most of us on here are not sex offenders or we would be in jail. You can call me an ex-offender, just take the “S” off of sex-offender and we are good.
Sex offender implies you are on the prowl actively offending without restraint. I remember when I had to do group therapy and we had to say go around the room and say “Hi I am Greg and I’m a sex offender”. If you did not say those exact words, you got reported to your probation officer and violated. (Of course you added your own name in spiel)
True enough. But I think missed my whole point.
A federal judge found the old process of regaining voting right UNCONSTITUTIONAL
If it is unconstitutional for any single person (absent compelling governmental interest) then it is unconstitutional for US! (too)
This would be slam dunk litigation !!!
Hello??? Is anyone listening???
NARSOL is encouraging the use of the term ‘registered citizen’ vice ‘sex offender’ in that the vast majority of registered citizens are not committing sex re-offenses.
Wow!
You are totally missing my point.
Sounds like Mark is a snitch with nothing better to do. Why not allow all citizens the right to vote, yet Florida is to much of a chicken to allow that to happen. Florida does have some strange laws and many incompetent politicians.
Well Mark I didn’t vote in Florida during the 2020 election I because I don’t live there anymore and the state needs to shape up and fly right. Common Florida stop being chicken —////
Mark Gleaser is a narcissist.
Sorry if that violates the Comment Policy.
But what other possible explanation could there be for his conduct?
Working tirelessly to jam up the already-beaten-down for trying to vote. What possible explanation could there be for such reprehensible behavior?
Well just great. So if those being called sex offenders, voted and are potentially facing charges, imagine what the headlines are going to ready?
“Numerous sex offender re-arrested, raising the question, are we really safe with them running loose”?