In Florida, the Tampa Bay Times has obtained video showing police officers arresting people — for voting. In 2018, Florida overwhelmingly voted in favor of a ballot measure allowing formerly incarcerated people with past felony convictions to cast ballots. But the law excludes residents who were convicted of murder or felony sex offenses. The arrested individuals say they were encouraged to vote by Florida officials and were not made aware of this exclusion, which is not stated on voter registration forms. This is Tampa resident Tony Patterson and his arresting officer, as captured on a police bodycam.

Police officer 1: “Apparently, I guess you have a warrant.”

Tony Patterson: “For what?”

Police officer 1: “I’m not sure.”

Police officer 2: “It’s for voter stuff, man.”

Police officer 1: “For voter” —

Police officer 2: “It’s — what it is, it — I think the agents with FDLE talked to you last week about some voter fraud, voter stuff, when you weren’t supposed to be voting maybe.”

Tony Patterson: “This here is crazy, man. Y’all putting me in jail for something I didn’t know nothing about. Why would you all let me vote if I wasn’t able to vote?”

The arrests in the bodycam footage are from August 18 and come under the auspices of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’s recently formed Office of Election Crimes and Security. Of the 19 people arrested that day, 12 were registered Democrats, and at least 13 are Black.