Florida

President Trump has cast another mail ballot in Florida as he continues to publicly bash the voting method as a source of fraud and push Congress to curtail the practice.

Palm Beach County voter records show the president voted by mail in a Tuesday special election for state legislative seats and that his ballot has been counted. Early in-person voting in the contest ran through Sunday, when Trump was still at his south Florida estate.

The White House said Tuesday that Trump’s ire is at states using universal mail-in voting, not individual instances of voters needing accommodations to vote by mail. A spokeswoman pushed back specifically at the idea that his voting practice contradicts his push for new federal voting rules.

“As President Trump has said, the SAVE America Act has commonsense exceptions for Americans to use mail-in ballots for illness, disability, military, or travel — but universal mail-in voting should not be allowed because it’s highly susceptible to fraud,” said White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales in a statement.

A report by the Brookings Institution published in 2025 found that cases of mail voting fraud occurred in only 0.000043% of total mail ballots cast, or about four cases out of every 10 million mail votes.

Wales added: “As everyone knows, the President is a resident of Palm Beach and participates in Florida elections, but he obviously primarily lives at the White House in Washington, D.C. This is a non-story.”

Nonetheless, Trump has in the last week called mail-in voting “cheating” and “corrupt as hell.” He is urging Congress to pass the SAVE Act. The sweeping bill would bar universal mail ballots and, as Wales noted, limit the options to a select few voters such as those with disabilities, military commitments or who are traveling on Election Day. The measure faces steep odds in the closely divided Senate even with the president’s pressure.

Trump has fixated on mail ballots since he began falsely claiming that his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden was the result of fraud. Multiple U.S. courts and Trump’s own attorney general have found no evidence of fraud that affected the outcome, despite the COVID-19 pandemic increasing the share of the electorate that cast mail ballots that year.

“We’re the only country in the world that does it that way. Corrupt as hell,” Trump said last week at the White House when hosting Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.

Dozens of countries, including European democracies that are traditional U.S. allies, use some form of mail-in voting.

Trump said last week that the SAVE Act was the “biggest thing” pending in Washington, even as Congress and administration grapple with the Iran war and a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

Last August, Trump used a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to blast mail voting.

“We’re going to start with an executive order that’s being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail-in ballots because they’re corrupt,” Trump said. “And it’s time that the Republicans get tough and stop it because the Democrats want it. It’s the only way they can get elected.”

The president, who changed his official personal residence and voter registration from New York to Florida during his first term, does not have a standing vote-by-mail request for all elections, according to the county records. That means he has to request a mail ballot for any individual election.

The ballot today includes Florida state House District 87 and Senate District 14.

Trump offered an endorsement late Monday in the House contest via his Truth Social platform.

“There is a very important Special Election tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, for Florida State House District 87 in beautiful Palm Beach County. … TO ALL GREAT PATRIOTS IN FLORIDA STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 87: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR JON MAPLES! Polls are open from 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.” Trump wrote, without mentioning that he had voted by mail or at all.

The Florida election comes one day after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a Mississippi case questioning whether states can count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but not received until later. Trump has criticized those allowances in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

Barrow writes for the Associated Press.

Two days after reality TV personality Joseph Duggar was arrested on suspicion of molesting a minor, Arkansas police arrested his wife, Kendra Duggar, on misdemeanor child abuse charges.

Kendra Duggar, 27, as well as Joseph Duggar, 31, face four counts each of endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree false imprisonment.

According to KNWA, the Tontitown Police Department confirmed that the Duggars’ charges in Arkansas were unrelated to Joseph Duggar’s case in Florida. The news outlet reported that Tontitown police said this separate investigation was “launched on the heels of the alleged incident in Florida.”

People Magazine reported that a source close to the family told the outlet that the arrest was “the result of a home inspection, and the door locks being on the exterior of the doors. “

A spokesperson for the family told People that the charges filed against Kendra Duggar were “totally unrelated” to Joseph Duggar’s case in Florida. “She’s not suspected or accused of participating in his alleged crime.”

Last week, Joseph Duggar, known for the TLC series “19 Kids and Counting,” was arrested in Arkansas by local law enforcement on suspicion of molesting a minor in Florida, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced in a statement.

The Sheriff’s Office said it received a report on Wednesday of past sexual abuse involving Duggar and a 14-year-old girl. The girl alleged several incidents of abuse including one when she was 9 years old, police said.

The teenager, according to law enforcement, accused Duggar of molesting her in 2020 while she was vacationing with family and staying at a residence in Panama City Beach.

According to the statement, the victim said Duggar “eventually apologized” for the abuse. Duggar also “admitted his actions to the girl’s father and to Tontitown detectives” in Arkansas, Duggar’s home state, law officials said. The city’s Police Department confirmed Duggar’s arrest in a separate statement, noting it acted on a warrant issued by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The former reality star was charged with molestation of a victim younger than 12 and “lewd and lascivious behavior conducted” by an adult. Duggar, who is currently jailed at the Washington County Detention Center, awaits extradition to Florida. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

Joseph Duggar, his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and his siblings garnered reality TV fame in 2008 with the launch of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting.” The series followed the Christian fundamentalist clan who used their television platform to preach purity, modesty and religious devotion. The family’s facade shattered in 2015 when Josh, the firstborn Duggar child, was accused of molesting five younger girls — four of whom were his sisters — when he was 15. The series was canceled that year.

In a separate case, Josh was convicted on two counts of possessing and receiving child pornography in December 2021. He was sentenced to 12½ years in prison in 2022. The Supreme Court rejected his efforts to appeal his case last June.

Amy Duggar Kind, a cousin of Joseph and Josh Duggar and series regular on “19 Kids and Counting,” released a statement prior to the arrest of Kendra Duggar “praying for Joseph’s wife, Kendra, as she begins to process this, and for the protection of their children,” and then a follow-up statement once news of Kendra’s arrest went public.

“My statement released on Friday, March 20th was written and submitted before I had any knowledge of Kendra Duggar’s arrest,” she wrote.

“When I wrote that I was praying for Kendra ‘as she begins to process this,’ I was speaking to what I believed at the time — that she was a wife and mother blindsided by devastating news about her husband. I want that context to be unambiguous. Those words were written in a different moment, with different information. The world changed a few hours later.

“I have now learned that Kendra Duggar was arrested on Friday on four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment. These are serious charges. They are not the same as Joseph’s charges, but they are not small, and I will not treat them as small.

“I am not going to rush to conclusions about what Kendra knew, when she knew it, or what her role was in any of this. That is the job of law enforcement and the courts, and I trust that process to unfold. What I will say is this: the moment a person faces criminal charges for the endangerment of children, my prayers shift. They shift entirely and without apology to the children.

“To the four children in that home — I see you. I pray for you. None of this is your fault, and none of this is your burden to carry.

“To the original victim, who is now fourteen years old and has watched this story explode across every screen in the country: I am so deeply sorry. You did an incredibly brave thing by coming forward. You deserve to have every institution around you work on your behalf — not to protect the people who hurt you, and not to protect the image of a family. You. I am still praying for you and your family above all else.”

Kendra Duggar was booked into the Washington County Detention Center on March 20 and released on a $1,470 bond the same day.

Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.

PHILADELPHIA — After missing its first seven shots, UCLA finally started to click in its NCAA tournament opener against Central Florida on Friday night. The Bruins shook off their early jitters by hitting their next eight shots to quickly build a 13-point lead midway through the half.

From there, the seventh-seeded Bruins, playing without leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau, held off No. 10 Central Florida’s second half comeback bid in a 75-71 win.

UCLA will play the winner of No. 2 Connecticut vs. No. 15 Furman on Sunday in the second round.

With Bilodeau out because of a sprained knee he sustained in the Big Ten tournament, 6-foot-8 guard Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with 20 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Xavier Booker, starting in place of Bilodeau, added 15 points and eight rebounds. Trent Perry also scored 15 points and Donovan Dent scored 10. Jordan Burks and Riley Kugel topped the Knights with 22 and 13 points, respectively.

After a late UCF flurry cut a 14-point Bruins’ lead to 35-27 at the half, UCLA went back to work in the second half, with a Booker jumper helping UCLA take a 46-32 lead. But Central Florida wasn’t giving up.

The Knights responded with an 11-0 run, knocking down three from beyond the arc, making it a one possession game, 46-43.

That was as close as UCF got until the final seconds. A three-pointer by Burks with 10 seconds left made it a three-point score again. Perry then made two free throws before Themus Fulks quickly scored on a driving layup. Skyy Clark, who lost part of a tooth earlier in the second half while battling for a loose ball, then made one of two free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.

UCLA’s Trent Perry, left, shoots over Central Florida’s Themus Fulks during the first half Friday.

(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)

SUN-seeking holidaymakers can save up to 30 per cent on packages for one of Florida’s top attractions.

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Discovery Cove Orlando packages: save up to 30%

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Another member of the Duggar family, famous for the TLC series “19 Kids and Counting,” faces allegations of child sex abuse.

Joseph Duggar, the 31-year-old son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and the younger brother of convicted sex offender Josh Duggar, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Arkansas by local law enforcement on suspicion of molesting a minor in Florida, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office announced in a statement. The sheriff’s office said it received a report on Wednesday of past sexual abuse allegedly involving Duggar and a 14-year-old girl. The girl alleged she was 9 years old during one of several alleged incidents, police said.

The teenager, according to law enforcement, accused Duggar of molesting her in 2020 while she was vacationing with family and staying at a residence in Panama City Beach. He is accused of touching the girl’s genitals and rubbing her thighs.

According to the statement, the victim said Duggar “eventually apologized” for the abuse, and he stopped touching her. Duggar had also “admitted his action’s to the girl’s father and to Tontitown detectives in Arkansas, Duggar’s home state, law officials said. The Tontitown Police Department confirmed Duggar’s arrest in a separate statement, noting it acted on a warrant issued by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The former reality star was charged with molestation of a victim younger than 12 and “lewd and lascivious behavior conducted” by an adult. Duggar, who is currently jailed at the Washington County Detention Center, awaits extradition to Florida. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

Joseph Duggar, his parents and his siblings — whose first names also begin with the letter J — became unexpected reality TV stars with the premiere of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting” in 2008. The series followed the giant family, highlighting their Christian fundamentalist lifestyle. The family’s once-charming facade of purity and religious devotion quickly faded in 2015 when Josh, the firstborn Duggar child, was accused of molesting five younger girls — four of whom were his sisters — when he was 15. The series was canceled that year.

In a separate case, Josh was convicted on two counts of possessing and receiving child pornography in December 2021. He was sentenced to 12 ½ years in prison in 2022. The Supreme Court rejected his efforts to appeal his case last June.

Fifteen years after the premiere of “19 Kids and Counting,” the series, the Duggar family and their devotion to the Institute in Basic Life Principles were subject to close scrutiny in the Prime Video docuseries “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets.”

Jill Diillard, the second-eldest Duggar daughter and one of Josh’s victims, spoke out for the 2023 docuseries.

“I believe strongly that victims should always be protected. Victims should always be cared for,” she said. “You’re out there, your story’s out there. … I’d rather have some say in what that looks like.”

FORMER 19 Kids and Counting star Joseph Duggar has been arrested for alleged child sex crimes against a nine-year-old girl.

The 31-year-old from Arkansas allegedly molested the child six years ago on a vacation in Florida.

On Wednesday, the former TLC star was charged with molestation of a victim under 12 years old and with lewd and lascivious behavior of a person 18 years or older, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.

The girl, now 14 years old, told investigators that the incident took place while she was on family vacation in Panama City in 2020.

Duggar, who was booked into the Washing County jail in Arkansas, is awaiting extradition to Bay County.

It is alleged that Duggar asked the victim to sit on his lap, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.

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“As the vacation continued, he also asked her to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket,” it has been claimed.

“During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals.

“Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs.”

“The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology,” the authorities said.

The allegations and arrest come after the victim had a forensic interview due to reports of past sexual abuse.

Her father allegedly confronted Duggar about the allegations and the reality star “allegedly admitted his actions to the father and Tontitown detectives,” and the alleged abuse stopped, per officials.

Duggar is married to his wife Kendra, with whom he shares three young children.

The Duggar family has not issued a statement following the arrest.

Meanwhile, Duggar’s brother Josh, is serving a 12 and a half year sentence after being found guilty in December 2021 of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.

It was also previously reported that Josh, now 38, confessed to molesting several children, including four of his sisters.

The family’s reality television show aired between 2008 and 2015 documenting the lives of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar and their 19 children.

It was taken off air after the molestation claims against Josh Duggar.

ORLANDO, Fla. — College Republicans have sued the University of Florida’s president on free speech grounds over the school’s decision to deactivate its chapter after being notified that at least one member engaged in an antisemitic act.

The University of Florida College Republicans filed the lawsuit Monday in federal court against interim president Donald Landry, asking a judge to stop the enforcement of the school’s decision and to restore access to facilities on the Gainesville campus.

“The University of Florida punitively deactivated and shut down the UFCR, in response to alleged viewpoints expressed by a member of UFCR, and in an effort to silence the club and chill its future speech,” the group said in its lawsuit.

UF spokeswoman Cynthia Roldan Hernandez said in an email that the university doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

Officials at the University of Florida said over the weekend that they had been informed by the Florida Federation of College Republicans that the federation had disbanded the Gainesville campus’ chapter after determining that some members had “engaged in a pattern of conduct that violated its rules and values, including a recent antisemitic gesture.”

When the Florida Federation of College Republicans is ready, the university will assist with reactivating the campus chapter under new student leadership, UF officials said in a statement.

The deactivation wasn’t based on any university policy or rule, and it was only based on a member’s expression of a viewpoint “which was alleged to be antisemitic,” the lawsuit said.

The university also didn’t provide the College Republicans with adequate notice and didn’t give the chapter an opportunity to explain its side of the story, according to the lawsuit.

The deactivation effort at the University of Florida campus marks the second time this month that a public university in Florida has taken action against a Republican group accused of being involved in racist or antisemitic behavior.

Earlier this month, Florida International University in Miami launched an investigation into a group chat started by an official with the Miami-Dade chapter of the Republican Party that included violently racist slurs, antisemitic comments and misogynistic language. The chat involved students and several top conservative leaders at Florida International University.

Last fall, New York’s Republican State Committee suspended a Young Republican organization following the release of a group chat that included jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers.

Schneider writes for the Associated Press.

The 68-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament is set. Matchup starting times and broadcast information will be announced later on Sunday.

The men’s First Four begins Tuesday and first-round games begin on Thursday.

First Four

Tuesday-Wednesday (at Dayton, Ohio)
No. 11 Texas (18-14) vs. No. 11 North Carolina State (20-13)
No. 11 Miami (Ohio) (31-1) vs. No. 11 Southern Methodist (20-13)
No. 16 Maryland Baltimore County (24-8) vs. Howard (23-10)
No. 16 Prairie View A&M (18-17) vs. No. 16 Lehigh (18-16)

East Region

FIRST ROUND
Thursday (at Greenville, S.C.)
No. 1 Duke (32-2) vs. No. 16 Siena (23-11)
No. 8, Ohio State (21-12) vs. No. 9 Texas Christian (22-11)
Friday (at San Diego)
No. 5 St. John’s (28-6) vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa (23-12)
No. 4 Kansas (23-10) vs. No. 13 California Baptist (25-8)
Thursday (at Buffalo)
No. 6 Louisville (23-10) vs. No. 11 South Florida (25-8)
No. 3 Michigan State (25-7) vs. No. 14 North Dakota State (27-7)
Friday (at Philadelphia)
No. 7 UCLA (23-11) vs. No. 10 Central Florida (21-11)
No. 2 Connecticut (29-5) vs. No. 15 Furman (22-12)

West Region

FIRST ROUND
Friday (at San Diego)
No. 1 Arizona (32-2) vs. Long Island University (24-10)
No. 8 Villanova (24-8) vs. No. 9 Utah State (25-8)
Thursday (at Portland)
No. 5 Wisconsin (24-10) vs. No. 12 High Point (30-4)
No. 4 Arkansas (26-8) vs. No. 13 Hawaii (24-8)
No. 6 Brigham Young (23-11) No. 11 Texas / North Carolina State
No. 3 Gonzaga (30-3) vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (21-13)
Friday (at St. Louis)
No. 7 Miami (25-8) vs. No. 10 Missouri (20-12)
No. 2 Purdue (27-8) vs. No. 15 Queens (21-13)

Midwest Region

FIRST ROUND
Thursday (at Buffalo)
No. 1 Michigan (31-3) vs. No. 16 Maryland Baltimore County / Howard
No. 8 Georgia (22-10) vs. No. 9 Saint Louis (28-5)
Friday (at Tampa)
No. 5 Texas Tech (22-10) vs. No 12 Akron (29-5)
No. 4 Alabama (23-9) vs. No. 13 Hofstra (24-10)
Friday (at Philadelphia)
No. 6 Tennessee (22-11) vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) / Southern Methodist
No. 3 Virginia (29-5) vs. No. 14 Wright State (23-11)
Friday (at St. Louis)
No. 7 Kentucky (21-13) vs. No. 10 Santa Clara (26-8)
No. 2 Iowa State (27-7) vs. No. 15 Tennessee State (23-9)

South Region

FIRST ROUND
Friday (at Tampa)
No. 1 Florida (26-7) vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M / Lehigh
No. 8 Clemson (24-10) vs. Iowa (21-12)
Thursday (at Oklahoma City)
No. 5 Vanderbilt (26-8) vs. No. 12 McNeese (28-5)
No. 4 Nebraska (26-6) vs. No. 13 Troy (22-11)
Thursday (at Greenville, S.C.)
No. 6 North Carolina (24-8) vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth (27-7)
No. 3 Illinois (24-8) vs. No. 14 Pennsylvania (18-11)
Thursday (at Oklahoma City)
No. 7 Saint Mary’s (27-5) No. 10 Texas A&M (21-11)
No. 2 Houston (28-6) vs. Idaho (21-14)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The state Senate has passed a bill that says women cannot be charged with indecent exposure or lewd behavior for breast-feeding in public. The House had earlier approved the measure. The bill passed Tuesday now goes to Gov. Lawton Chiles, who is expected to give his approval.