Florida police visit voters opposing 6-week abortion ban

In Florida, voters who signed a petition to place a pro-choice abortion referendum on the ballot have reported visits from police investigating alleged fraud. This follows the signing of a law by Governor Ron DeSantis that bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. In response, pro-choice advocates gathered nearly one million signatures to support Amendment 4, aimed at overturning the ban and restoring reproductive rights. The Florida Department of State has raised suspicions of fraud in the signature-gathering process, requesting verified petitions for reexamination. Isaac Menasche, a voter who signed the petition, described being questioned by a plainclothes officer at his home, while another voter, Becky Castellanos, reported being interrogated about a family member's signature. Both expressed feelings of intimidation during these encounters. Critics argue that these actions are politically motivated attempts to undermine the validity of the petitions and distract from the broader issue of the stringent abortion ban. The creation of the Office of Election Crimes and Security by DeSantis in 2022, following unfounded claims of voter fraud in the previous presidential election, has been criticized as a political maneuver. This office, funded with $1.4 million, claims to combat electoral violations, despite evidence showing that voter fraud is extremely rare in the U.S. The police visits to voters are seen as a tactic to intimidate those supporting the pro-choice referendum. Campaign director Lauren Brenzel emphasized that any efforts to discredit the petitions represent political interference, detracting from the critical discussion surrounding Florida's extreme abortion restrictions, which lack exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the woman.