Fraud Possible In Florida Absentee Votes?

Absentee Votes In Florida Manipulated?
LABELLE, FL. -- Although the Florida legislature requires everyone who votes early to be listed online, there's an exception for absentee voter's ballots, leaving open the possibility of absentee ballot fraud.

Some say absentee voting is much more prone to fraud because the ballots pass through many hands before getting to the county supervisor of elections office. Candidates, political parties and committees can get absentee ballots and even make use of "brokers" to get those ballots to individuals.

According to a story in the Tampa Bay Times, two ballot brokers in Hialeah, Florida were arrested for allegedly filling out ballots for others. In Madison county, the county elections supervisor, a school board member, and seven others were charged with voter fraud resulting from absentee ballots in a 2010 election.

More and more are voting by mail, about one-third in the latest primary, forcing candidates to adapt to find and reach those voters. Traditionally, Republicans use absentee ballots, while Democrats use early voting.

But records of names of those who use absentee ballots are not released to the public until after the election, while early voter's names are immediately available to the public.

Here's where the names of early voters and absentee voters can be found online for the 2012 primary:

Early Voting Lists By Florida County

Glades County - August 2012 Primary Early Voters

Hendry County - August 2012 Primary Early Voters