A post on X claims that former President Donald Trump cannot vote in his home state of Florida due to his felony convictions in New York.
In Florida, convicted felons are not allowed to vote. Trump just sent his mail in ballot.@RonDeSantis, care to comment?
— Captain Obvious™️ (@TheFungi669) October 20, 2024
Verdict: Misleading
Trump is legally allowed to vote in Florida despite his felony convictions, as he has not been sentenced yet.
Fact Check:
The former president filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, claiming that members of the U.K. Labour party partaking in canvassing for Vice President Kamala Harris constituted as “election interference,” according to the BBC. Trump was convicted in a New York City court this past May, being found guilty of “falsification of business records in the first degree,” while Judge Juan Merchan postponed the sentencing until after the election.
A post going viral on X points out that felons are not allowed to vote in Florida, where Trump did cast a mail-in ballot. The post then tags Republcian Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, asking for a comment and seemingly implying foul play on his part. “In Florida, convicted felons are not allowed to vote. Trump just sent his mail in ballot.@RonDeSantis, care to comment,” the post reads in part.
The claim is missing important context. While Trump was convicted of a felony, he can still legally vote in Florida as of 2024. Florida law states that he would need to be barred from voting in the state he was convicted in for his Florida ballot to be deemed illegal. (RELATED: Did J.D. Vance Propose Mandatory Pregnancy Tests for Women Traveling Between States?)
Florida Department of Elections Website/Screenshot
Because the sentencing for his felony convictions has yet to take place, Mr. Trump would still legally be able to vote in New York State if he was a resident there. Furthermore, New York allows felons to vote if they are not currently in prison.
Trump takes part in early voting in Florida | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/27SSbPVXag
— WPBF 25 News (@WPBF25News) August 14, 2024
An article from the Brennan Center of Justice confirms that, unless the former president was stripped of his right to vote in New York or serving a prison sentence in the state, he can vote in New York. “Under New York law, a person convicted of a felony is disenfranchised only while incarcerated for that felony. Thus, Trump will be able to vote as long as he is not incarcerated for his New York felonies at the time of the election,” the article, written by Patrick Berry, reads in part.
The misleading post has been hit with a community note, giving other users the proper context. Trump’s sentencing is set for Nov. 26, at least three weeks following the election. This story was first reported by Lead Stories.