Man From Florida Arrested, Charged With Election Fraud Offense In Kansas

According to a report from the Tampa Bay Times, George Andrews—a 30-year-old man from Dade City, Florida—has been arrested and charged with an election fraud offense in Kansas. Mr. Andrews stands accused of forging signatures on a petition for ballot access for the “No Labels” party. Here, our Orlando white collar criminal defense lawyer discusses the allegations and the charges in more detail.

Background: No Labels is a Third Party Seeking Ballot Access in Many U.S. States 

No Labels is a third party in the United States. The political party touts itself as committed to nonpartisan solutions and political innovation. As with other third parties, No Labels is trying to obtain ballot access across a number of different states. Smaller parties that did not gain significant support in a prior election generally need to get signatures from registered voters. to get on a ballot. 

The Allegations: Defendant Forged Signatures 

George Andrews, a 30-year-old man from Dade City, Florida, was arrested on February 10 for allegedly forging signatures on petitions intended to officially recognize No Labels as a political party in Kansas. He faces 2 counts of election perjury and 28 counts of election forgery. The investigation was initiated by the Kansas Attorney General’s office. As with any other person accused of a crime, Mr. Andrews is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

Note: The defendant in this case is also accused of committing a separate election fraud offense in Florida. Mr. Andrews allegedly forged and submitted false signatures for an abortion-related ballot issue. 

Defendant Charges With Several Counts of Election Perjury and Election Forgery 

Election fraud is a serious white collar criminal offense. Depending on the nature of the allegations facing a person, he or she could either be charged under federal law or state law. Here is an overview of the specific charges raised against the Florida resident in this state:

• Election Perjury: Election perjury is a crime that occurs when a person knowingly makes false statements under oath during the electoral process. It is a serious criminal offense that indicates an individual lied or provided false information on official election documents—such as petitions. In this case, the charge is based on the defendant allegedly  falsely attesting to the validity of signatures.
• Election Forgery: Election forgery is a crime involving altering, creating, or using forged documents with the intent to deceive within the context of an election. In the case of petition drives, it can include forging signatures to meet the required number for a party or issue to be placed on the ballot. Election forgery is a felony criminal offense. 

Speak to a White Collar Criminal Defense Attorney in Orlando, Florida

At The Baez Law Firm, our Orlando criminal defense lawyer takes on all types of white collar criminal cases. If you or your loved one was charged with any type of white collar case, we are here as a resource. Contact our criminal defense firm today for a confidential case review. With a law office in Orlando, we defend white collar criminal charges throughout Central Florida.

Source:

tampabay.com/news/crime/2024/02/19/dade-city-man-accused-election-fraud-no-labels-party-petition-kansas/