SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Some Central Florida supervisors of elections have said they’ve had verbal altercations at early voting sites.
Chris Anderson, the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections said his office is investigating about five incidents that happened at two of their early voting sites.
As a former deputy for the Seminole County Sheriff’s office, Anderson said, “It is actually illegal to create affrays.” He added “any of these incidents, they could rise to the level to where folks can get themselves in trouble.”
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Anderson would not give specific details while the incidents are still under investigation, but told News 6 they were all verbal attacks, nothing physical and nothing that required police.
“The biggest thing that we want to reiterate is these things are unacceptable. We need folks that are with these campaigns to understand that there is a decorum that is expected,” said Anderson.
A spokesperson for the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said in an email, “we have not been made aware of any incidents here in Seminole County, but encourage people to notify a poll worker of any intimidation attempts or contact law enforcement.”
News 6 reached out to Central Florida sheriff’s offices to see if they’ve had reports of voter intimidation, Seminole, Orange, Osceola and Volusia counties told us they have not had reports filed.
Florida law established a 150-foot no solicitation zone in all directions from the entrance to a polling place or early voting site.
But supervisors of elections have said campaigns or candidate supporters will post up right at that mark.
Anderson said they are in regular communication with the different parties and campaigns to ensure their staff are acting appropriately.
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