Former President Donald Trump will not lose his right to vote in Florida, his state of residence, despite his felony conviction in New York state, thanks to his rival in the 2024 presidential election.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who lost the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said Friday that Trump’s right to vote in Florida has not been lost and will not be lost as long as DeSantis serves as chairman of the Florida Board of Pardons.
“Former President Donald Trump did not lose his right to vote in the state of Florida. He will not be disenfranchised in the state of Florida unless he has already been disenfranchised in the jurisdiction where he was convicted,” DeSantis said on X.
“However, given the absurdity of the charges against Mr. Trump in New York, this case could easily qualify for restoration of rights under the rules of the Florida Board of Pardons, which I chair,” he continued.
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FILE – U.S. President Donald Trump introduces Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a homecoming campaign rally at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, Nov. 26, 2019. President Trump continues to campaign for reelection in the 2020 presidential election. (Joe Raedl/Getty Images)
“After all, a vote for Donald Trump this November will be one of the millions of votes that show Florida is now a Republican powerhouse!”
Trump was convicted Thursday of 34 counts of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election and to pay porn actress Stormy Daniels to silence her about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter, which prosecutors say he is guilty of. He has pleaded not guilty.
It is common practice in most states for convicted felons to lose their voting rights, sometimes permanently. In New York, felons lose their right to vote while incarcerated, but a law passed by the Democratic-controlled state Legislature in 2021 would automatically restore their voting rights upon release, even if they are on parole.
Trump is a lifelong New Yorker Establishing a Residence This happened in Florida in 2019 while he was in the White House.
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Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower on Thursday, May 30, 2024, after being convicted of 34 counts of first-degree falsifying business records. (Felipe Ramares for Fox News Digital)
Florida law follows other states’ rules when it comes to disenfranchising residents who have been convicted of felonies outside the state, so unless Trump is sent to prison, he will retain his right to vote in Florida without needing action from Governor DeSantis or the Board of Pardons.
Trump is scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing on July 11. Under DeSantis’ promise, Trump will be able to vote in Florida in November’s election, regardless of the sentence.
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Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Thursday, May 30, 2024. Trump continues to maintain his innocence after being convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Trump’s conviction, and even imprisonment, will not prevent him from continuing to run for president. The Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, four days after Trump’s sentencing. The convention adopted rules last year that did not include specific provisions for what would happen if a Republican candidate was convicted of a crime.
Delegates can change the rules before Trump is formally nominated, but there appears to be little support for nominating a different candidate. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said Trump’s sentence was “handed down by a partisan and biased judge” and argued Democrats had “weaponized” the judicial system to attack Trump.
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“The real verdict will be on November 5th, when the American people will vote for a president they believe will lower prices, secure our southern border, restore American leadership in the world and make America great again,” Whatley said in a statement after the jury found Trump guilty on all charges.
President Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
