TALLAHASSEE – Six weeks before the general election, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials on Thursday hailed the indictments of 20 people on voting fraud charges.
Two of the 20 cases involve Lee County people, one is from Collier County, another is from Okeechobee County and a fourth is from DeSoto County.
“If somebody’s who is not eligible to vote casts a vote, that could cancel your vote out as a lawful citizen of this country and the free state of Florida,” DeSantis said at an event in Palm Beach County.
Details of the indictments weren’t immediately available Thursday afternoon. Attorney General James Uthmeier said there were 20 additional arrests and prosecutions, with 12 already in custody.
“At least three-quarters” of them are foreign nationals, with others being either felons who didn’t fulfill the terms of their sentence to regain their right to vote or who citizens who voted in multiple jurisdictions.
“If you’re going to cheat, we’re going to get you,” Uthmeier said. “I view these election crimes as some of the most dangerous in our country, because when you vote illegally it cancels out the votes of others. It challenges our very American sovereignty.”
DeSantis detailed the many changes to election laws he ushered into law during his time in office, starting in 2020 but especially in 2022 with the creation of the Office of Election Crimes and Security. The office, along with a new law making it easier to prosecute cases of voter fraud, has resulted in 100 arrests and prosecutions since it was established, Uthmeier said.
Additionally, DeSantis announced the creation of a new national group of election officials, with the aim of installing Florida’s legal changes designed to prevent voter fraud and crack down on those who vote illegally.
The group, the Association of State and Local Election Officials, will be headed by Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, but won’t begin until after the Nov. 3 general election.
Byrd and DeSantis each noted the many election law changes Florida has instituted since the infamous 2000 presidential election recount – where Palm Beach County’s butterfly ballots befuddled many voters in a razor-thin race. DeSantis cited laws aimed at eliminating “ballot harvesting” and ensuring mail ballots go to valid voters at valid addresses, for example.
The main message from state officials, though, was to warn people not to vote illegally.
“It is not okay to falsely affirm your (citizenship) status and get on the voter rolls and go out and cast votes,” said Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay. “A law that isn’t enforced doesn’t mean a whole lot, and Floridians deserve to have confidence in their elections.”
Southwest Florida defendants arrested in this operation so far include:
Astrid Shamatu Navarrete Quintana, 24, of Fort Myers (Lee County), a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident since March 31, 2023. She registered on August 19, 2024, falsely affirming she was a United States citizen, and voted in person on November 5, 2024. She later signed a Citizenship Acknowledgement Form admitting she is not a United States citizen. She is charged with Unqualified Noncitizen Electors Willfully Voting and False Swearing.
Kadian Gabrielle Amai Johnson, 29, of Lehigh Acres (Lee County), a Jamaican national and lawful permanent resident since April 22, 2018. She registered on September 30, 2024, falsely affirming citizenship, and voted in person on November 5, 2024. She later signed a Citizenship Acknowledgement Form admitting she is not a United States citizen. She is charged with Unqualified Noncitizen Electors Willfully Voting and False Swearing.
Mei-Lin Johnston, 57, of Okeechobee (Okeechobee County), an Indonesian national and lawful permanent resident since May 10, 2022. She registered on November 8, 2022, falsely affirming she was a United States citizen, and voted in person on October 24, 2024. She later signed a form admitting she is not a United States citizen. She is charged with Unqualified Noncitizen Electors Willfully Voting.
Manon M. Raux, 62, of Naples (Collier County), a Canadian national and lawful permanent resident since August 16, 1991. She registered on September 18, 2024, falsely affirming citizenship, and voted early in person on October 29, 2024. She later signed a form admitting she is ineligible to register to vote. She is charged with Unqualified Noncitizen Electors Willfully Voting and False Swearing.
James Mark Hollingsworth, 62, of Lake Suzy (DeSoto County), a Canadian national and lawful permanent resident since October 29, 1967. He registered through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in 2021 and voted by mail in both the 2024 Primary and 2024 General Elections. After receiving a non-citizen notice, he emailed the Supervisor of Elections acknowledging he is a permanent resident and stating he had been voting in Florida. He is charged with two counts of Unqualified Noncitizen Electors Willfully Voting and two counts of False Swearing.
Each charged offense is a third-degree felony. If convicted as charged, most of the defendants face up to 10 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Hollingsworth faces up to 20 years, and White faces up to 15 years.
The cases will be prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution.
WGCU Contributed to this report.
