Florida has been a hotbed of political tension in recent months, thanks in no small part to Governor Ron DeSantis’ unwavering commitment to freedom and states’ rights, as well as his penchant for finding the spotlight.
This week, the Sunshine State is back in the national news again, this time after telling federal election monitors that they aren’t welcome at Florida’s polling places.
The Florida Department of State is rejecting the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) plan to send federal election “monitors” to certain counties across the country, including three in the Sunshine State, advising the department that federal monitors are “not permitted under Florida law.”
“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 place sin these counties. We also understand you sent a similar letter to Palm Beach County,” the Florida Department of State letter begins.
However…
“But Department of Justice monitors are not permitted under Florida law,” the letter continues, detailing the section of the Florida Statues that describes who “may enter any polling room or poling place” and noting that DOJ personnel “are not included on the list.”
The state would need “evidence concerning the need for federal intrusion, or some federal statute that preempts Florida law.” Ultimately, the state concludes that “the presence of federal law enforcement inside polling places would be counterproductive and could potentially undermine confidence in the election.”
Florida will instead send their own monitors to the three locations instead, to insure that no interference occurs in the vote tabulation.
