Seminole County Commissioner Jay Zembower is under review after an anonymous tipster told the county clerk's fraud, waste, and abuse hotline that he does not live in the district he represents. The county's Division of Inspector General is reviewing the complaint and will send any findings to the appropriate authorities. Zembower disputes the claim and showed a local reporter identification listing a Winter Springs address.
According to the Sanford Herald, the anonymous complainant included copies of a driver's license and voter ID reflecting a Winter Springs address, while alleging that Zembower's vehicles, trailers, boats, and a motorcycle are registered to a Chuluota address in Commission District 1. Clerk Grant Maloy told the paper, "This situation raises serious concerns that should be addressed immediately to preserve public confidence in local government." The informant also provided juror records and campaign paperwork that they say list multiple addresses.
What the Complaint Alleges
The whistleblower's letter claims Zembower registered to vote and cast ballots in Winter Springs while requesting mail‑in ballots be sent to the Chuluota property. It also asserts that corporate records connect his business to the Chuluota address. The complaint asks the clerk's office for an immediate resignation, criminal investigations into voter and registration fraud, and a full ethics review.
Residency Rules and Legal Context
The Seminole County Charter requires county commissioners to live in the district from which they were elected; that rule appears in Section 2.2 of the Seminole County charter. State law also criminalizes false voter‑registration statements and sets rules for vehicle registration, and the complainant cited provisions from the Florida Senate, the election rules collected under Florida Senate Chapter 101, and registration requirements in Florida Senate Chapter 320 for penalties and background.
Zembower's Response and Next Steps
Zembower told the Sanford Herald that his precinct is #50 Tuscawilla Country Club, that his elderly mother votes at the Winter Springs address, and that he keeps vehicles "stored at our lake property, which is in District 1." The clerk's Division of Inspector General says it reviews complaints submitted through the fraud hotline and refers any findings to the appropriate authorities; the clerk's process for reporting fraud and abuse is outlined on the Clerk's website. The division's review is ongoing, and no criminal charges or formal findings have been announced.
