Florida Senate - 2012                              CS for SB 116
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections;
       and Senator Wise
       
       
       
       582-00562-12                                           2012116c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to freeholder voting; amending s.
    3         100.241, F.S.; permitting the submission of a written
    4         declaration to establish that an elector is a
    5         freeholder and qualified to vote in an election or
    6         referendum limited to freeholders who are qualified to
    7         vote; providing an effective date.
    8  
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Section 100.241, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   12  read:
   13         100.241 Freeholder voting; election; penalties for
   14  ineligible persons who vote as freeholders.—
   15         (1) In any election or referendum in which only electors
   16  who are freeholders are qualified to vote, the regular
   17  registration books covering the precincts located within the
   18  geographical area in which the election or referendum is to be
   19  held shall be used.
   20         (2) Qualification and registration of electors
   21  participating in a freeholder such an election or referendum
   22  subject to this section shall be the same as prescribed for
   23  voting in other elections under this code, and, in addition,
   24  each such elector shall submit a written declaration, verified
   25  pursuant to s. 92.525, affirming proof by affidavit made before
   26  an inspector that the elector is a freeholder who is a qualified
   27  elector residing in the county, district, or municipality in
   28  which the election or referendum is to be held.
   29         (3) Each registered elector who submits the written
   30  declaration makes a sworn affidavit of ownership to the
   31  inspectors, giving either a legal description, address, or
   32  location of property in the elector’s name which is not wholly
   33  exempt from taxation is shall be entitled to vote in the
   34  election or referendum and is shall be considered a freeholder.
   35         (4) The actual costs of conducting a freeholder such
   36  freeholders’ election or referendum subject to this section
   37  shall be paid by the county, district, or municipality requiring
   38  the election or referendum same to be held.
   39         (5) A It is unlawful for any person may not to vote in any
   40  county, district, or other election or referendum which is
   41  limited to a vote of the electors who are freeholders, unless
   42  the such person is a freeholder and a qualified elector. A Any
   43  person who violates the provisions of this subsection commits is
   44  guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as
   45  provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   46         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.