Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will enthusiastically sign a law that makes possession of more than two ballots a felony.
The offense was previously a misdemeanor in the state under a 2021 law. But now it is punishable with a fine of up to $50,000 and five years in prison. That’s according to The Washington Post reported.
The ballot felony is one part of a bill aiming to reform certain elements of Florida elections. The legislation would also establish a first-of-its-kind elections police force for the U.S.
A November press release announced his intention to propose the legislation to bolster “election integrity” in the state.
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“I am excited that with this legislation, our state will be able to enforce election violations, combat voter fraud and make sure violators are held accountable,” he said in a statement. “If potential violators know they will be held accountable, they will be much less likely to engage in improper conduct in the first place.”
Governor DeSantis is looking forward to the bill landing on his desk.
DeSantis proposed plans for the police force about two months ago, but the measure passed Wednesday by the GOP-led House and Senate has some key differences. The governor had requested almost $6 million to hire a force of 52 people, but, instead, he will be allotted about $2.5 million to hire 25 staffers for the new Office of Election Crimes and Security.
Democrats don’t believe he should have an election police force.
On the other hand, it ends ballot harvesting!
Georgia’s Secretary of State is currently investigating illegal ballot harvesting in the state during the 2020 elections.
An election watchdog organization has at least one whistleblower, videos, and other evidence of illegal activities. Watch the clip.
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