A Villager has pleaded not guilty to a charge he cast an illegal absentee ballot in New York in 2020 in addition to voting in Sumter County.
John Rider, 61, a resident of the Village of Virginia Trace, is the third Villager charged with voting twice in the 2020 presidential contest which is still haunted by President Trump’s insistence the election was “stolen.”
Rider cast his ballot in person during early voting Oct. 28 in Sumter County. He also cast an absentee ballot in New York, according to an arrest document from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. John Rider and his wife Carol in 2019 purchased their home at 904 Moses Loop in The Villages. He is registered as a voter with No Party Affiliation in Sumter County.
He is facing a felony charge and was arrested earlier this month in Brevard County.
Other Villagers charged with voting fraud are:
• Joan Halstead, 72, of the Village of Palo Alto is facing a felony charge of fraud. A document on file in Sumter County Court indicates she cast a 2020 general election ballot on Oct. 20, 2020 in person in Sumter County. She also cast a second ballot in New York by absentee. She is a registered Republican.
• Jay Richard Ketcik, 63, who lives at 5564 Henry Loop in the Village of Monarch Grove, is also facing a charge of voter fraud. The Manistique, Mich. native cast a ballot in Florida by mail on Oct. 13. He also cast a second ballot in Michigan via absentee ballot, according to an arrest report. He is a registered Republican.
The have also pleaded not guilty in their respective cases.
