Florida voters targeted by bogus letters and calls

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida Division of Elections issues an election alert for all Florida voters.

Bogus letters are being sent to Floridians claiming they are not eligible to vote. The letter looks as if it was sent from a supervisor of elections, but it's fake. The bogus letters have turned up in at least 20 counties in Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott says he's really bothered by this effort.

"We're going to have zero tolerance. We'll get to the bottom of it. We'll turn over any violations of law to law enforcement and expect law enforcement to prosecute those individuals," Gov. Scott said. "I think step one, which is happening I think if you look around, it's getting out publicly that there's this issue, which is what we should be doing. But I want everybody to vote and get out there."

Also, watch out for bogus phone calls. Some voters are receiving calls falsely saying you can vote by phone or offering the wrong voting hours.

The Florida Division of Elections is investigating. The division is urging voters to contact their elections supervisor if they receive such calls or letters. Supervisors are able to confirm whether your information is current and accurate.

Gov. Scott calls these fraudulent efforts a serious issue.

"It really bothers you when somebody would try to get anybody to not go vote. If you think about everything I've tried to do is if you have a right to vote, go register," Gov. Scott explained. "Get involved in these races. Get to know these candidates. Get involved in their races and then go out and vote. So any time anybody is trying to prevent somebody from voting, that's a serious issue."

You can also call the state's voter fraud hotline with complaints at 1-877-868-3737.

First Coast News