Peter Washington Jr. said he “wanted to do something good” and  in May 2019, he filled out a voter application so he could join his recently wed wife and vote. Days after submitting his application, he was cleared by the state and received his voter ID in the mail. 

Washington is a convicted sex offender and felt hesitant despite having been called for jury duty twice and having his voter registration card. Washington asked an administrator at the library if he could vote and he was told that he looked eligible after they looked at his ID and checked on a computer. Washington went to fill out ballots and after voting went out with his wife to go eat. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ election police unit, the Office of Election Crimes and Security, arrested Washington less than a year later as the unit’s first action along with 19 others in majority Democrat counties across the state all defendants of whom were cleared to vote by the state and received voter registration cards.

Those arrested had voted in the 2020 general election despite being convicted of a sex offense or murder, which makes them illegible to have their voting rights restored under Amendment 4. They were taken into custody on a felony charge punishable by $5,000 and up to 5 years in prison.

Washington was released on bond a week after his arrest but was fired from his job as an irrigation technician, his irrigation business saw clients stop calling, and church leaders planning to make him a minister pulled away. His wife paused her education so that she could work double shifts as Washinton looked for a new job and she often got comments from coworkers who saw her husband;s name in the newspaper as he battled legal charges. 

In September 1996, Washington pleaded no contest to attempted sexual battery of a child and, as a result, was forced to register as a sex offender. Four years later, he was arrested on a felony charge for not properly registering as a sex offender, according to court records.

Washington was upset :emotionally” and “spiritually” especially because he was working after his initial arrest to become a prominent member of society.  

Washington’s case was one of a handful tossed out on a technicality by circuit judges in Orlando, Tampa and Miami, who determined statewide prosecutors did not have jurisdiction over such cases because the alleged criminality did not involve more than one county. 

These cases however are all likely to be appealed or re-filed as DeSantis in February signed legislation expanding statewide prosecutor’s jurisdiction to include charges related to voting.

Roger Weeden  is one of several lawyers offering free representation to the voter fraud defendants, most of whom could not afford a private attorney and Weeden is helping Washington as the appeal is pending. 

Washington, who has four adult children, got a new irrigation job through a friend, although not as good as his old one, and Washington is working to become a minister to work with men in jail and give them the hope that he says his wife gives to him. 

Washington keeps himself busy amidst the uncertainty of his future with the law and says that he wants to make better choices to make a better life for him and his family. 
This story was first reported on by Christopher Cann with the Orlando Sentinel.