[PHOTO CREDIT: iStock / z_wei]
[Original Publish Date: 08/03/20]
TAVARES, Florida — The woman accused of 10 counts of voter fraud earlier this year was removed from her precinct committeewoman position at the Lake County Republican Executive Committee (LCREC) last week, according to LCREC Vice Chairman Mark Fisher.
“The Lake County Republican Executive Committee voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to remove her from the REC for the balance of her term because of the conduct that led to her arrest for voter registration irregularities,” Fisher told Lake Legal News in an email.
Cheryl Arellano, 64, of Clermont was arrested under the name Cheryl Hall on March 5 following a joint investigation by Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays’ office and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. According to Lake County Clerk of Court records, Arellano filed to legally change her last name from Hall to Arellano in July 2019, and the court granted her petition in November 2019.
The investigation revealed Arellano/Hall received serialized voter registration cards from her employer in packs of 50. Of those cards assigned to her, at least 10 contained information that was allegedly changed, and after receiving notice from Hays’ office, voters called and complained, launching the investigation that resulted in her arrest.
Arellano declined the public defender and signed her name “Cheryl A. Hall,” more than three months after changing her name. At press time, Arellano did not have a private attorney; there is no evidence she has ever attempted to correct her name in the voter fraud case.
“While she has not been tried and convicted on the pending [third] degree felony charges, the irregularities were such that the Party felt obligated to remove her because we take the sanctity of the individual vote of Florida electors seriously. Her conduct had impugned our reputation in this regard and damaged our confidence in her ability to serve the interests of the community on behalf of the LCREC and Republicans generally,” Fisher said in the email.
Her next scheduled court date in the voter fraud case is Aug. 24.
Arellano has also qualified to run for Lake County Republican Party State Committeewoman, according to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections website. She is facing incumbent Francheska Sabatini.
[ Read our original article here: https://www.lakelegalnews.com/article/florida-woman-qualifies-to-run-for-lake-county-republican-party-state-committeewoman-while-facing-10-voter-fraud-charges/ ]
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
