WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Nearly one million signatures on a petition is what got Amendment 4 on November's ballot.
We’re learning the state is raising concerns about forged signatures in Palm Beach County. A new letter from the Florida Department of State outlines the allegations, asking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate.
In this letter, Department of State showed what they said are 12 examples of bogus signatures in Palm Beach County. The Supervisor of Elections does not dispute that they received duplicate and fraudulent signatures as part of this process but she said the 12 in the letter along with the thousands of others they caught were never counted.
READ: Florida Department of State outlines allegations of fraudulent signaturesWith Election Day around the corner, voters are getting ready to hit the polls.
“Honest voting is how we've got to run this country," Palm Beach County resident James Dugan said.
"I just feel that everything should be done in honesty," Palm Beach County resident Tyler Kitchens said.
WPTV's Michael Hoffman requested the records for all the signatures gathered in Palm Beach County for Amendment 4. It shows that in the 103,000 collected, over 73,000 were rejected.
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link said signature gatherers have to be certified and the fact that so many were caught is proof the system works.
“So, the only ones that would be counted are ones that our office has deemed acceptable and those are used to certify toward that number,” said Link.
Link said when they find potentially fraudulent signatures they ask the signers to fill out a form like this one where the voter said, “I did not sign a petition, this is fraud.”
READ: Number of signatures gathered in Palm Beach County for Amendment 4"And then we give that link to look at that live document to the office of election crime, to the sheriff’s office, to FDLE and to the state attorney’s office,” she said.
Amendment 4, if approved, would add abortion protections to Florida's state constitution.
Julie Rossi said it matters to her that it passes.
"I am voting yes to pass it," said Rossi.
It also matters to her how it gets on the ballot.
“I don’t care what it is," said Rossi. "I don’t care if it’s an amendment, I don’t care if you’re voting for local politicians, I don’t care if you’re voting for the President of the United States.”
Election officials said it is possible some fraudulent signatures got counted.
“It’s an art, not a science," said Link.
Which is why November's vote is crucial.
“I want people to get out to vote," said Link. "No matter what happens with this amendment.”