Melbourne woman charged with voter fraud, accused of casting ballot in son’s name

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Melbourne woman has been charged with voter fraud after investigators say she requested a mail-in ballot for her son before the 2020 election and cast it for him without his knowledge.

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According to court documents, Brevard County deputies first contacted 56-year-old Sheryle Jack in late September while investigating a potential voting violation involving her son that had been referred to the sheriff’s office by the State Attorney.

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During the initial interview with detectives, Jack explained that her son still used her address as his primary voting residence, but that he had traveled to the United Kingdom and was stuck there due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputies say Jack tried to claim the ballot came to her home and she planned to send it to her son in a care package, but never did, and instead turned it in with her own ballot. That turned out to be a lie as Jack later admitted she intentionally refrained from voting in the election herself because of a discrepancy with her own address.

After more questioning from investigators, Jack eventually admitted to opening, completing, signing, and sealing her son’s ballot before turning it in. Her arrest report says she tried to claim the ballot came automatically, but detectives were able to determine it had been requested via an e-mail address Jack used herself.

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Investigators interviewed Jack’s son, who confirmed he had not asked his mother to complete the ballot on his behalf.

Deputies went on to allow Jack to write an apology letter in which she claimed to be trying to help her son cast his vote because he was stuck in the UK.

The case was referred to the State Attorney’s Office who subsequently decided to charge Jack with requesting a mail ballot on behalf of another elector, and designating a choice on the ballot of another person, both felonies.

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She was booked into the Brevard County jail Tuesday and has been released on $4,000 bond.

According to the report, Jack’s son has since canceled his Florida voter registration. He wasn’t charged.

Read the full arrest report below:

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