The Santa Rosa County Sheriff vows to ensure safe voting amid rising tensions

SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. – Millions of people have already cast their ballots in the November elections. But some are trying to intimidate other voters at polling stations.

This is called voter intimidation and it is a third degree felony in Florida.

“I voted for the first time in 1981,” Sheriff Johnson said. “Back then, whether you were a Democrat or a Republican, if you all had a problem with each other, you’d sit there and talk it out, that’s how the country was built.”

But he says now, for some people, conversation is being thrown out the window.

“That’s just how it boils down to violence,” he said. “In some cases, it’s almost instantaneous — and it’s very scary for an American. You’re just not used to it.”

A recent example of political violence led to arrest of an 18-year-old boy on Neptune Beach.

Neptune Beach police say Caleb James Williams threatened two women, ages 71 and 54, with a machete near an early voting location.

“This goes far beyond free speech,” said Chief Michael Key. “Saying your peace is your first amendment right, but that goes out the window the moment you raise a machete over your head in a threatening manner.”

Police say Williams, along with seven other 16- and 17-year-olds, were “protesting and confronting the opposite political side.”

“The group was there for no other reason than to cause a disturbance,” Key said. “It’s not an incident that’s only protected by the First Amendment, really, but rather one where they were just there to cause a ruckus.”

Williams was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor.

“There are several forms of bullying,” Johnson said. “It could be anything from using a weapon or yelling at people or preventing them from going to the polling station.”

Federal law states that “whoever intimidates, threatens, coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any person for the purpose of interfering with such person’s right to vote or to vote at his option… shall be fined for that title or imprisoned for a term not more than one year”.

In Florida, you can also be prosecuted for criminal offenses under the Voter Protection Act.

“There are state laws that prohibit voter intimidation, which is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison,” said former judge Gary Bergosh.

Bergosh says voter intimidation is taken seriously in Florida.

“Everyone should feel safe and secure in their rights,” he said.

Sheriff Johnson says he doesn’t expect any trouble in Santa Rosa County on Election Day.

“We have deputies that are always close to the polls in case there’s a problem,” Johnson said. “Believe in law enforcement agencies. We are here to protect the people and we will have safe voting in Santa Rosa County. We’ll take care of it.”

If you notice anything suspicious at your polling place on or before Election Day, notify local law enforcement.