Absentee ballots for Sweetwater’s May 12 election were supposed to land in mailboxes this week. But they will be delayed at least a week after a judge ruled Monday that Sweetwater 
Mayor Jose Diaz cannot be on the ballot.
An appeal has been filed and the court has granted an emergency stay of the ABs — meaning that the elections department is waiting until further notice before sending out the approximate 2,000 absentee ballots (out of 9,330 registered voters) that are mailed in Sweetwater.
The oral arguments for the appeal will be heard Tuesday, so the soonest ABs will arrive is at the end of next week. And when they do come out, they may be accompanied by a note that says a vote for Diaz will not be counted.
Read related story: Sweetwater mayor ordered off ballot, would go back on dais
Commissioner Orlando Lopez filed suit because he said Diaz did not resign his commission seat to run, as required by Florida law. The judge agreed. Now we’ll have to see if it holds up on appeal. Worst case scenario: Diaz goes back to being a commissioner — and a thorn in the side of Lopez, who automatically becomes the frontrunner.
But he’s fighting it tooth and nail. Besides the appeal, Diaz recorded a robocall that voters started to get Tuesday.
“Good evening. This is your mayor, Jose M. Diaz. I am calling to ask you to accompany in rejecting the unscrupulous tactics of my opponent, who seeks to deny the people of Sweetwater the right to vote with a defamation and disinformation campaign,” Diaz says in Spanish in the 45-second recording.
“They have used these tricks in the past to rob the election from the people. And now, once more, when they lack ideas and principles, they try to rob the people of this municipal eletction,” he said. “Don’t be fooled. Your vote counts. Today more than ever. 
I ask once more that you honor me with your vote of confidence and help me keep working for you and your family.
One thing is for sure: Sweetwater residents may benefit from all this arroz con mango. Because the less time that absentee ballots are on the street, the less opportunity there is for boleteras to ply their skills and steal votes. Especially now that we know that Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador is at the helm of Lopez’s campaign.
But Sweetwater is one of those areas where absentee ballot shenanigans have always been tradition. Law enforcement has focused undercovers there in the past and one would hope they’re watching this year.
Read related story: Absentee ballot fraud alert — Sweetwater elections approach
Guess who else is watching? The Police Benevolent Association is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the 
arrest of someone for absentee ballot fraud.
It’s the second time they’ve offered a prize for an AB perp.
But this year’s mailer is the best I’ve seen to suppress fraud. It has the photos of Jeffrey Garcia, Deisy Cabrera and Sergio “El Tio” Robaina, who each have been charged with absentee ballot fraud in the last three years on different campaigns.
Garcia worked for Congressman Joe Garcia when he was caught using a computer program or virus to generate absentee ballot requests for voters without their knowledge. Cabrera was busted going in and out of the Carlos Gimenez Hialeah campaign office with absenee ballots and Robaina delivered dozens of ballots to an aide working for Miami-Dade Commissioner Esteban Bovo.
“Attention: Voters of Sweetwater,” the headline says, “don’t be a victim of electoral fraud through absentee ballots.”
Well, first they have to get them.
Absentee ballots watched, delayed in Sweetwater election added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
