JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Recent reports questioning the residency of Jacksonville sheriff candidate T.K. Waters have some claiming voter fraud.
But a spokesperson for the 4th circuit State Attorney’s Office said they have not been presented with or found any evidence of voter fraud on behalf of Waters. The comments were sent to News4JAX after the online news outlet “The Tributary” raised the possibility that Waters might have committed voter fraud, saying the Supervisor of Elections said he lived in one part of town, while his campaign said he lived elsewhere.
Waters then gave us a statement that read in part: “Following the tragic death of our son in our home, my wife and I made the difficult decision to move and began renting in other locations. In between moves earlier this year I inadvertently kept my voter registration at a previous address, though I was not required to change it, until my permanent home, under construction, is complete and ready to move in to.”
Friday morning, the State Attorney’s Office said it had reviewed the relevant statutes and facts surrounding Waters’ residence -- in light of recent reports.
The statement from spokesperson David Chapman went on to say:
“Florida jurisprudence defines legal residency as a ‘place where a person has fixed an abode with the present intention of making it his or her permanent home.’ Waters’ current voter registration remains associated with his last legal residence in Duval County.”
Since moving from his last “legal residence,” Waters has rented a series of temporary residences in Duval County while awaiting the completion of his new home, which is also located in Duval County. Waters has not yet established a new “legal residence”—as he has not yet lived in a residence intended to become his permanent home — and hence, there is a reasonable basis to support that Waters was not required to change his address with the Supervisor of Elections.
THE RACES, CANDIDATES & ISSUES ON YOUR BALLOT: News4Jax Voter’s Guide
The State Attorney’s Office statement ends by saying, “More importantly, we have not been presented with, nor found any evidence of voter fraud,” in reference to T.K. Waters’ residency.
Waters is one of five candidates on the ballot in Tuesday’s special election for sheriff.