Palm Beach County Election Worker Arrested, But No Tampering Found

Officials say a recent theft charge did not affect the integrity of a special election in a district near Mar-a-Lago.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 9:04pm

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A photorealistic painting of a lone voting booth or ballot box in a dimly lit room, with warm sunlight streaming in through a window and creating deep shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of solemnity and civic responsibility.An investigation into a minor election-related theft incident aims to preserve confidence in the integrity of the voting process.Palm Beach Today

A Palm Beach County elections worker was recently arrested on charges of theft and computer-related property crime, but officials say there was no tampering with the county's special election last week. The worker, John Panicci, is accused of stealing a flash drive containing training materials during an election worker orientation, but the elections supervisor says the drive contained no real voter data and that the office took the incident seriously to maintain election security.

Why it matters

The arrest and allegations of potential election tampering in a district near former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort have raised concerns about the integrity of Florida elections, especially in a politically charged environment. However, officials say the worker's actions did not actually affect the election results.

The details

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, John Panicci, 59, was arrested on charges of theft and computer-related property crime after he allegedly stole a flash drive containing training materials during an orientation for paid election workers and volunteers on March 19. Panicci, a registered Democrat who had worked as a paid election worker in previous elections, was told he would not be allowed to assist with the March 24 special election for Florida's House District 87 based on the theft incident.

  • On March 19, Panicci allegedly stole a flash drive containing training materials during an election worker orientation.
  • On March 23, the elections office security manager was informed about the missing flash drive and contacted the Sheriff's Office.
  • On March 24, the special election for Florida's House District 87 was held.

The players

Wendy Sartory Link

The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, who said the elections office took the theft incident seriously but that the training materials contained no real voter data and did not affect the integrity of the election.

John Panicci

A 59-year-old registered Democrat who was arrested and charged with theft and computer-related property crime for allegedly stealing a flash drive containing election worker training materials.

Emily Gregory

The Democratic candidate who won the special election for Florida's House District 87, flipping a historically Republican area.

Republican Party of Florida

The state Republican party, which claimed there was potential corruption in Palm Beach County's election and said it would closely monitor developments, despite the elections supervisor's assurances that no tampering occurred.

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What they’re saying

“We have zero tolerance for anything that's going to affect the integrity of our elections.”

— Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

“Potential corruption in Palm Beach County in a razor thin election. Law enforcement is already looking into it with a swift arrest, and we expect a full, thorough investigation to follow.”

— Republican Party of Florida

“Claiming potential corruption is 'irresponsible,' because it affects people's confidence in elections.”

— Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

What’s next

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office will continue its investigation into the theft allegations against John Panicci, but officials have stated that the incident did not impact the integrity of the recent special election.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of maintaining public trust in the electoral process, even when isolated incidents occur. While the Republican Party has raised concerns, the elections supervisor has assured that no tampering took place and that the office takes election security very seriously.