Jose Vazquez lists his residence as a prison on the south shore of Lake Okeechobee where he's serving time on a felony conviction, according to papers filed with the state.

That didn't stop the state Division of Elections from declaring him a qualified write-in candidate this week for the state House of Representatives District 58 seat.

The move appears to have broken two laws.

Vazquez clearly doesn't live in the district he wants to represent.
And as a felon serving time, he hasn't had his civil rights restored,
so he can't run for office.

Jennifer Davis, a
spokeswoman for the Department of State, says it's not the division's
job to check whether Vazquez  lives in the district or is a felon.
"We're merely the clerical agency that takes in the papers," she said.
"We don't investigate."

She said Vazquez turned in the proper forms and
filled them out correctly. Vazquez is seeking the seat held by Mike
Scionti, D-Tampa, who hopes to win his second term in office. He also
qualified to run this week.