| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to freeholder voting; amending s. |
| 3 | 100.241, F.S.; deleting the current process and |
| 4 | creating a new process by which an elector may |
| 5 | establish that he or she is a freeholder and qualified |
| 6 | to vote in an election or referendum limited to |
| 7 | freeholders who are qualified to vote; providing an |
| 8 | effective date. |
| 9 |
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| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 11 |
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| 12 | Section 1. Section 100.241, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 13 | to read: |
| 14 | 100.241 Freeholder voting; election; penalties for |
| 15 | ineligible persons who vote as freeholders.- |
| 16 | (1) In any election or referendum in which only electors |
| 17 | who are freeholders are qualified to vote, the regular |
| 18 | registration books covering the precincts located within the |
| 19 | geographical area in which the election or referendum is to be |
| 20 | held shall be used. |
| 21 | (2) Qualification and registration of electors |
| 22 | participating in a freeholder such an election or referendum |
| 23 | subject to this section shall be the same as prescribed for |
| 24 | voting in other elections under this code, and, in addition, |
| 25 | each such elector shall submit a written declaration, verified |
| 26 | pursuant to s. 92.525, affirming proof by affidavit made before |
| 27 | an inspector that the elector is a freeholder who is a qualified |
| 28 | elector residing in the county, district, or municipality in |
| 29 | which the election or referendum is to be held. |
| 30 | (3) Each registered elector who submits the written |
| 31 | declaration makes a sworn affidavit of ownership to the |
| 32 | inspectors, giving either a legal description, address, or |
| 33 | location of property in the elector's name which is not wholly |
| 34 | exempt from taxation is shall be entitled to vote in the |
| 35 | election or referendum and is shall be considered a freeholder. |
| 36 | (4) The actual costs of conducting a freeholder such |
| 37 | freeholders' election or referendum subject to this section |
| 38 | shall be paid by the county, district, or municipality requiring |
| 39 | the election or referendum same to be held. |
| 40 | (5) A It is unlawful for any person may not to vote in any |
| 41 | county, district, or other election or referendum which is |
| 42 | limited to a vote of the electors who are freeholders, unless |
| 43 | the such person is a freeholder and a qualified elector. A Any |
| 44 | person who violates the provisions of this subsection commits is |
| 45 | guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as |
| 46 | provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. |
| 47 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012. |