Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, joined by Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced Thursday that 20 defendants were being arrested and prosecuted in a statewide voting-fraud operation. The attorney general’s office said the cases include activity connected to the 2024 general election. The charges are allegations; the announcement did not establish convictions.
Florida Phoenix reported that 16 defendants are noncitizens accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, while four others have felony convictions and allegedly registered or voted before completing probation. Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay said 12 of the 20 defendants were already in custody and that the investigation had been underway for about two months.
Each charged offense is a third-degree felony, according to the report. Uthmeier said Florida has made more than 100 election-crime arrests since the state created its Office of Election Crimes and Security in 2022.
The announcement came 40 days before the midterm elections. Florida Phoenix noted that a former Justice Department attorney questioned the timing, while state officials said the operation was ongoing and additional arrests could follow.
