Thousands of foreign citizens -- particularly in South Florida -- might be registered to vote in Florida and could have unlawfully cast ballots in previous elections.The potential problem is largest in Florida's largest county: Miami-Dade, where the elections supervisor is examining 2,000 potentially unlawful voters, WFOR-CBS 4 News reported Tuesday. Broward is examining 260 suspected foreign voters. One suspected noncitizen voter has been registered for about 40 years, CBS 4 found.
Over the past year, the Florida Division of Elections has begun identifying potential foreigners on the rolls in coordination with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Division of Elections front man Chris Cate told The Miami Herald. He said the state has forwarded the names to county elections supervisors, who are in charge of the rolls.
"There will be more names," Cate said.
The discovery of potentially unlawful voters is sure to fuel the partisan debate over voter fraud and voting rights. With 1.2 million registered voters in Miami-Dade, 2,000 potentially ineligible voters might not seem like a big number. However,
it was a brave man who first ate an oyster...
it is more than enough to swing a close election in a state like Florida, where the 2000 presidential election was decided in favor of George W. Bush by 537 votes.
It is unclear how many -- if any -- foreign citizens cast ballots or when, CBS 4 reported. Elections supervisors in all Florida counties are contacting these voters and asking them to prove their citizenship within 30 days.
"If we find out after the fact that you are actually a noncitizen, and you are registered to vote, then we would report you to the State Attorney's Office," said Christina White, Miami-Dade's deputy supervisor of elections, according to CBS 4.
With few exceptions, only U.S. citizens who are lawful Florida residents without felony records are eligible to vote in the state. A voter who unlawfully casts a ballot could be charged with voter fraud, a third-degree felony, punishable by a maximum five-year prison sentence and $5,000 fine.
| Getting them off the voter roles will be a major accomplishment. Waiting for cries of "Racism!!" in 5 .. 4 .. 3 .. |