DeSantis Administration: Federal Personnel Did Not Enter Florida Polling Locations, Letter to DOJ ‘Successful’
TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – After Florida responded to the Department of Justice’s declaration of intentions to monitor certain polling locations during the 2022 election, the DeSantis Administration said their letter was “successful” and no federal personnel violated state law prohibiting their entry.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Department of State, headed by Secretary of State Cord Byrd, told the DOJ that entering polling places violates Florida law section 102.031(3)(a)6.
“Earlier today, the Florida Department of State received copies of your letters to Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in which you seem to indicate that the Department of Justice will send monitors inside polling places in these counties. We also understand you sent a similar letter to Palm Beach County,” the Florida Department of State said.
Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County were included in the DOJ’s initial letter declaring intentions to send personnel. “Monitors will include personnel from the Civil Rights Division and from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. In addition, the division also deploys monitors from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order. Division personnel will also maintain contact with state and local election officials.”
“The Justice Department announced today its plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 64 jurisdictions in 24 states for the Nov. 8, 2022 general election,” the DOJ said Monday.
“Indeed, your letters do not detail the need for federal monitors in these counties […] None of the counties have been accused of violating the rights of language or racial minorities or of the elderly or disabled.”
The DeSantis Administration said they will send their own election monitors to the three “targeted jurisdictions” to monitor the federal agents: “These monitors will ensure that there is no interference with the voting process.”
“You have my cell phone number. Please let me know how best to coordinate with your team as Florida works towards another smooth election day,” finished Brad McVay, the General Counsel to the Florida Department of State.
In the end, the DeSantis Administration said the DOJ obeyed Florida’s declaration and did not violate the law. There were no reports of major polling issues in the Sunshine State and a vast majority of results were in before other states’ polls closed.
Read the full letter here.
