DeSantis administration convicts man for false voter registration

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (FLV) – As part of the 20 arrests Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in 2022 stemming from Florida’s Election Crimes and Security Office, one man was found guilty of lying on his voter registration in 2020.

According to the verdict, Nathan Hart faced two counts of election crimes: Count I involved false voter registration information, and Count II involved voting illegally.

Hart was convicted on Count I and acquitted on Count II.

The man said in 2020, he was approached by a “man” outside a driver’s license office in 2020 being offered to vote after Amendment 4 from 2018 passed, which restored voter rights for some felons. He said he was told he’d be eligible to vote if he received a voter ID.

Hart’s lawyer reportedly argued that under Florida law, violations must be “willful.” The state argued Hart signed an oath declaring his information was true.

The state questioned why Hart would believe a man outside the driver’s license office. Hart is reportedly a registered Republican.

The case took place in Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County.

In 2022, DeSantis called out those arrested by the new office for not going “through any process” to restore voting rights.

“And so they did not go through any process. They did not get their rights restored and yet they went ahead and voted anyways,” DeSantis said. “That is against the law and now they’re going to pay the price for it.”

“I also want to be very clear going forward that we’re going to continue to make sure that our laws are rigorously enforced,” DeSantis said.

Attorney General Ashley Moody applauded the state for enforcing its election laws.

“In order for us to remain a country and a state under the rule of law, we must have men and women that are willing to enforce those laws,” Moody said.

Moody called it heartbreaking that polls show 20% of Americans have faith in their elections.

“That skepticism spans party lines and we cannot accept that,” Moody said.

Other cases brought by DeSantis’ elections office have been thrown out on jurisdictional grounds, like one in Miami late last year.

However, a law that is awaiting the governor’s signature passed last week would expand that jurisdiction for statewide prosecutors.

Under Florida law, statewide prosecutors can only prosecute crimes that occur in two or more judicial circuits. The bill will allow statewide prosecutors to prosecute crimes that not only occur, but also affect, two or more statewide judicial circuits.

Rep. Fernandez-Barquin, R-Miami-Dade, introduced the bill.

“Our state prides itself in free, fair and secure elections. It also prides itself in law and order – and my bill is fitting in both. My bill gives the offices of the statewide prosecutor further abilities to investigate and protect our most sacred brightest citizens,” Fernandez-Barquin said.

He explained that if passed and signed, the legislation would “widen the jurisdiction so there is no doubt in reference to the offices of statewide prosecutor that these cases can can be brought forward.”