Florida investigators turn up more evidence of possible voter fraud after bust at The Villages
On the heels of a report that investigators found evidence that three voters living at Florida retirement community The Villages allegedly committed voter fraud in the 2020 election, the Sun-Sentinel is now reporting that may just be the tip of the iceberg as more residents may have voted multiple times.
According to the new report, the election investigators in Lake County have turned up six possible cases that have been referred to "state prosecutors for further investigation, and Osceola County flagged seven problematic votes."
On Tuesday, Click Orlando reported that three people who either live at The Villages or close by were arrested for fraudulently casting multiple ballots in 2020.
After the arrest of Jay Ketcik, 63, Joan Halstead, 71, and John Rider, 61, investigators turned their attention to so-called "snow-birds" who maintain two homes -- one in sunny Florida for the winter months.
The Sun-Sentinel reports, "... election officials say they want to send a message to anyone thinking of voting more than once in an election. Florida is home to a large number of seasonal residents with multiple addresses who could try to mail in a ballot in one state and vote in person in another."
In a statement, Wesley Wilcox, president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections’ association served notice by stating, "You commit fraud in the state of Florida, and we will do everything possible to catch and charge you. One of the benefits of charging these people is it’s a deterrent. It may take me a year to catch you, but I will catch you.”
Although it is not known who was the recipient of their illegal votes, the Sun-Sentinel's Skyler Swisher wrote, "The Villages is a bastion of Trump support with 67% of Sumter County voters favoring him in the 2020 election."
Swisher adds, "It’s not illegal to be registered to vote in multiple places, but casting more than one ballot in a federal election that can land a person in serious legal trouble. In Florida, it’s a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine."
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