According to the Manatee County Voters Guide, if a person fills out a voter registration application and checks that they are a citizen of the United States, and signs the oath statement, and submits the application, they will receive a voter registration card and they will be able to vote.

Neither a Florida driver’s license number, a Florida I.D. number, or a Social Security number is specifically required. Only a copy of a photo ID showing the applicants name and photo.

The following forms of photo ID are acceptable: debit or credit card, Student identification card, public assistance identification, neighborhood association identification.

• Or instead of the photo ID, you may provide a copy of a current and valid utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document containing your name and current residence address.

• Or if you meet the following criteria, no identification is required: persons 65 years of age or older, persons with a temporary or permanent physical
disability. You see it gets easier and easier as the tough requirements are waived.

As to residency, the courts and the Florida Department of State/Division of Elections’ have construed legal residency to be where a person mentally intends to make his or her permanent residence. Evidence of such intent can come from items or activities such as obtaining a Florida driver’s license, paying tax receipts, paying bills for residency (light, water, garbage service) and receiving mail at address, claiming the property as homestead, declaring the county as domicile, and doing other activities indicative or normally associated with home life. Therefore, legal residence is a convergence of intent and fact. Once a person establishes residency for voting purposes, it is presumed to be valid or current until evidence shows otherwise.

Neither citizenship or residence is rigidly validated to register to vote. The system seems ripe for Voter Fraud. Further inquiry at the state level produced no additional information that would alleviate natural concern about such a lax system.

When a voter goes to the polls to vote a photo ID and a signature is required. But on the Supervisor of Elections Web Page they invite voters to update their signature, a provision I have never heard of anywhere else in business or banking. This would seem to undermine the whole point of requiring a signature and invite voter fraud by impersonating a deceased registered voter. Illegals voting, snowbirds voting in two states, multiple registrations, using deceased voters ID, all are possible ways voter fraud can happen in Manatee County.