Trash Talk
Broward commissioner investigated for using paid workers to collect absentee ballots
By Scott Wyman and Buddy Nevins
Mar 24, 2005, 15:59

State prosecutors are investigating whether Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion violated state election law last summer by paying campaign workers to collect absentee ballots, the same charge that recently toppled Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

Eggelletion acknowledged Wednesday that a paid worker on his re-election campaign helped pick up absentee ballots from voters and deliver them to the Elections Office. He denied he had done anything illegal and said the accusations are coming from political enemies who want to drive him from office.

John Hanlon, a prosecutor with the State Attorney's office, confirmed that he is looking into the Eggelletion campaign's handling of absentee ballots. He declined further comment about the nature of the investigation or how long it would take.

"We are conducting appropriate inquiries," Hanlon said.

The questions come as Eggelletion has been dealing with state ethics charges for voting on a garbage contract while working as a paid lobbyist for the hauler, Waste Management Inc. The state Ethics Commission accepted a settlement on March 10 under which Eggelletion admitted violating the law and agreed to pay a $2,500 civil fine.

Eggelletion earned $15,000 as a lobbyist for Waste Management between December 2001 and December 2002. In April 2002, he voted as a commissioner to award the firm a $26,556 contract to pick up garbage at county buildings. State ethics law prohibits officials from voting on matters that would benefit themselves or their employers.

The new investigation stems from last year's Democratic primary race between Eggelletion and Pompano Beach resident Allen Jackson for the District 9 commission seat. Eggelletion carried 62 percent of the vote to defeat Jackson and win a second term.

One of Jackson's supporters noticed an Eggelletion worker delivering absentee ballots to the Elections Office and complained to elections officials and law enforcement because she said some were turned in unsealed. After Dyer was indicted in Orlando this month, Elgin Jones, a community activist and reporter for the Broward Times weekly newspaper, called the State Attorney's Office and questioned what was being done.

Dyer was indicted on third-degree felony charges for employing a campaign consultant to encourage black residents to vote by absentee ballot. Gov. Jeb Bush suspended Dyer from office following the indictment, and Dyer is now awaiting trial.

State law prohibits anyone from paying or being paid "for distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, delivering or otherwise physically possessing absentee ballots." The Legislature crafted the restriction after the 1997 Miami mayor's race that was marred by forged absentee ballots.

Eggelletion said Wednesday that his absentee ballot operation was "very sophisticated and within the law."

He said that either he or a campaign worker would daily pick up a computer disk of people who had requested absentee ballots from the Elections Office. The campaign would then send the voters a letter asking them to vote for him and offering to send someone to pick up the ballot. Staffers were then sent to collect ballots and turn them over to the Elections Office, he said.

"Nothing was done out of order," Eggelletion said. "I have nothing to hide. Investigators can talk to anybody, and I'll talk to them."

Jim Kane, editor of the Florida Voter newsletter, said campaigns increasingly solicit absentee ballots as part of a get-out-the-vote strategy. "We'd have to put everyone in jail if they start enforcing that one," Kane said.



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