Full Breakdown
Former Murder Convict Arrested for Illegal Voting in Palm Beach
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Illegal Voting Attempts and Arrest
Deputies arrested Jivonn Ysbeck, 48, on three felony counts—two counts of perjury and one count of voting as an unqualified elector—after investigators determined he cast a ballot in the 2020 general election and submitted a provisional ballot in the November 2024 election despite being ineligible. The arrest occurred on a Saturday; bail was set at $20,000 by Circuit Judge Sarah Shullman.
Background: Conviction and Voting-Rights Restrictions
Ysbeck was convicted in 1998 of murder-for-hire in the killing of former Haitian soccer player Formose Gilles. The conviction carried a 15-year sentence and the loss of civil rights, including the right to vote. Florida’s 2018 Amendment 4 restored voting rights to many felons who completed their sentences, but it expressly excluded individuals convicted of murder or felony sexual offenses. Consequently, Ysbeck’s voting rights could be restored only through a gubernatorial pardon, which he never received.
Official Responses: Election Office and FDLE Actions
Antonio Mathews, an election-crimes investigator with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, reported that Ysbeck submitted three fraudulent voter applications over four years, each time affirming he was not a convicted felon or that his rights had been restored. The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office sent Ysbeck a notice in early 2022 indicating possible felony status and later issued “final ineligibility” notices in March 2022, December 2024, and after each application. The office’s spokesperson, Alison Novoa, declined to comment on the ongoing case. The Public Defender’s Office, representing Ysbeck, also declined comment.
Data & Statistics: Applications, Notices, and Charges
- Three voter applications filed: October 2020 (online), August 2024 (in-person), November 2024 (in-person).
- Two “final ineligibility” removals from the voter rolls (March 2022 and December 2024).
- Charges: two counts of perjury, one count of voting as an unqualified elector, each carrying up to five years imprisonment.
What’s Next: Legal Proceedings
Ysbeck remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing. If convicted, the felony counts could result in a combined sentence of up to fifteen years. The case underscores ongoing challenges in enforcing voting-eligibility restrictions for individuals with felony convictions.