Longwood man arrested, charged with voting fraud

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A Longwood man has been arrested on a charge of voting fraud, according to the State Attorney's oOffice.

Allen Prudent, 21, is charged with one felony count of voting fraud after investigators said he submitted a fraudulent ballot during early voting in Seminole County in 2012.

According to investigators, Prudent went to an early voting site on Oct. 27 and signed an affidavit swearing he was a registered voter in Seminole County.

Invesigators said the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Office staff flagged the ballot while doing a series of validity checks following the election and suspected the ballot was illegal.

"Voter impersonation is a serious issue.  Anytime someone tries to vote in someone else's name, it affects the confidence all voters have in the process. I am extremely pleased our State Attorney is strident in his defense of the laws of our republic," Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Michael Ertel said in a press release.

According to the State Attorney's Office, Prudent told investigators that he wasn't register to vote but "thought" he was.

Investigators said when Prudent failed to show up at the State Attorney's Office to provide a sworn statement charges were filed.

The third-degree felony carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and $5,000 fine.

Prudent was being held on a $1,000 bond.

WFTV