Press release from the Office of Attorney General James Uthmeier

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced the arrest of Alexandria Mary Beatrice Tatem on charges of Perjury by False Written Declaration, categorized as a third-degree felony under Florida law. This arrest is the culmination of a combined effort led by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Office of Executive Investigations and the Elections Crime Unit.

Attorney General James Uthmeier emphasized, “We will not accept any form of fraud, especially actions that compromise the integrity of Florida’s top-tier election system or misuse the identities of deceased voters to alter our state’s constitution. This arrest is a testament to our dedication to enforcing the law and safeguarding the sanctity of our elections. My office remains at the forefront in the fight against voter fraud across Florida.”

The investigation has indicated that Tatem, who is a registered Paid Petition Circulator (PPC), turned in a petition supporting a constitutional amendment initiative named Adult Personal Use of Marijuana (Amendment 25-01), backed by Smart & Safe Florida. This petition was falsely attributed to Amy Akins, a Florida voter who had passed away on January 10, 2024, more than a year before the alleged signing of the petition. The petition was presented to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.

According to state requirements, PPCs are obliged to confirm under penalty of perjury that each petition they file has been signed in their presence by the actual voter. Tatem authenticated the petition with an affidavit stating it was signed in her presence. During a formal interview with FDLE on July 1, 2025, in Killeen, Texas, Tatem conceded that she signed the affidavit and filed the petition, despite being shown evidence that the voter had died over a year earlier.

The findings of the investigation show that since 2019, Tatem has been registered as a PPC with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections. She collected and submitted petitions in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas. Election officials detected the forged petition because the voter had died prior to the date allegedly signed.

The Office of Statewide Prosecution plans to charge Tatem with one count of Perjury by False Written Declaration, a third-degree felony, which could result in a prison sentence of up to five years.