The state of Florida already leads the nation in vote-counting efficiency and election security. But things are about to get even better.
Speaking Friday to a crowd in West Palm Beach, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced a series of proposals that aim to prevent the sort of fraud that cost Donald Trump the election last year. A top priority is to close loopholes that allow ballot harvesting. That includes rules that permit residents to drop off votes belonging to other people.
“It’s about time that we outlaw the possession of anybody else’s ballot but your own,” said Florida State Representative Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill).
Every American should be able to vote, but none should be able to cheat.
Ballot drop boxes should be monitored 24/7, DeSantis continued, and there shouldn’t be so many of them sprinkled throughout the state. “Put it in the mail or take it to the elections office,” he said. “Why do you need to have these things out there?”
The Governor also wants to pass Florida election rules that would ban the mailing of unsolicited ballots, require residents to request a mail-in ballot every single year, and prevent “special interest groups” from funding state election administration.
“We are going to stop elections officials hiding in a backroom, duplicating ballots, matching signatures,” promised Ingoglia, who spoke out against a proposal backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that would exacerbate ballot fraud by forcing states to accept same-day registrations and expand early voting.
Notably, officials detected no evidence of voter fraud in the state of Florida. Of the dozens of legal cases filed by Trump and his team challenging election results, none targeted Florida. And despite his outspoken opposition to mail-in voting, Donald Trump said the mail-in system in Florida was “safe and secure, tried and true.”
Critics say the proposed Florida election rules would make it harder to vote, especially for minorities. They have accused Republicans of trying to solve problems that simply do not exist.
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Ron DeSantis, Blaise Ingoglia announce proposal for sweeping changes to Florida election laws