Election Fraud Cases

Refining Filters +

Refine by State

Refine by Disposition Year

Refine by Type of case

Refine by Type of fraud

StateAlabamaYear2017NameWetumpka City Council District 2Case TypeOfficial FindingFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots, Election Overturned

A judge overturned the preliminary election results and declared Lewis Washington as the winner in a contested Wetumpka City Council District 2 election. On election night, it appeared that Washington's opponent, Percy Gill, who was the incumbent, had won by three votes. Washington challenged the result, and following a trial in which live witnesses and forensics experts testified, the judge threw out eight absentee ballots that had been cast for Gill either because the signatures had been forged or they had not been notarized or signed in front of the requisite number of witnesses, and declared Washington to be the winner.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4Fv2v, https://herit.ag/377vIV7

StateAlabamaYear2017NameBrandon DeanCase TypeJudicial FindingFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Brandon Dean, who was elected mayor of Brighton, Alabama in 2016, was ordered to vacate the office after a judge determined that 46 fraudulent abentee votes had been cast for him in the 2016 election. Of these ballots, 21 were not signed by the voter, 22 had been sent to Dean's address instead of the voters' homes, 2 absentee ballots were submitted by voters who were actually present at city hall on Election Day, and one did not live in Brighton city limits. Deducting the fraudulent votes dropped Dean's vote total below the threshold needed to avoid a mandatory runoff, which the city of Brighton must now hold.

Source: https://herit.ag/2WlR6DL, https://herit.ag/3x2hFL2

StateColoradoYear2017NameSarilu Sosa-SanchezCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots, Duplicate Voting, Impersonation Fraud At The Polls

Sarilu Sosa-Sanchez voted twice in the 2013 election, once in her own name and once in the name of her late mother. Sosa-Sanchez pleaded guilty to a felony forgery charge after admitting she forged her late mother's signature on a ballot. Sh also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor double voting charge. Sosa-Sanchez was sentenced to 60 hours of community service, was ordered to pay restitution and court fees, and will help the clerk and recorder's office educate other residents about the consequences of voter fraud.

Source: https://herit.ag/3nR7Tuo, https://herit.ag/2ZjLpIh, https://herit.ag/3kpHOAr

StateColoradoYear2017NameToni Lee NewbillCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Toni Lee Newbill pleaded guilty to voting twice using her deceased father's name to do so, once in the 2013 general election and again in the Republican primary of 2016. Newbill was sentenced to 18 months of unsupervised probation and 30 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay a $500 fine and additional court fees.

Source: dpo.st/2owWxOA, bit.ly/2q8FKBj, bit.ly/2pjbYHd

StateColoradoYear2017NameSteven CurtisCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Steven Curtis, the former head of the Colorado Republican Party, was charged with a misdemeanor election mail-in ballot offense, as well as one count of forgery of a public record. It was revealed through handwriting analysis that Curtis forged his ex-wife's name on her ballot and mailed it in. He was found guilty and sentenced to four years probation and 300 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/2UV4aj5, https://herit.ag/3ArntjL

StateFloridaYear2017NameAnthony GrantCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Former Eatonville Mayor Anthony Grant was convicted of a felony voting fraud charge, a felony election violation, and misdemeanor absentee voting violations. During the 2015 election while he was running for election, he coerced absentee voters to cast ballots for him. In at least one case, Grant personally solicited an absentee vote from a non-resident of Eatonville. Grant, who had previously served as mayor, lost the in-person vote, but still won the election with more than twice the number of absentee ballots than were cast for incumbent Bruce Mount. Following his indictment, Grant was suspended by Florida Governor Rick Scott. He was sentenced to 400 hours of community service and four years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3nub8px, https://herit.ag/3mfSQJt

StateFloridaYear2017NameMia Antoinette NowellsCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Mia Antoinette Nowells, a campaign worker for former Eatonville Mayor Anthony Grant, was found guilty of coercing Layota Jackson to vote for Grant in the 2015 election. Nowells was charged with intimidating voters and tampering with absentee ballots. She was sentenced to two years' probation and 200 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f2Sx0u, https://herit.ag/3rDnnSu, bit.ly/2sAF7PP

StateIowaYear2017NameTerri Lynn RoteCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots, Duplicate Voting

Terri Lynn Rote attempted to vote twice in the 2016 presidential election. Rote cited fears that the election was rigged to justify her attempt to cast two absentee votes for Donald Trump. Rote was arrested attempting to cast the second ballot. She pleaded guilty to a felony charge of election misconduct, and was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay a $750 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/377vCgd, https://herit.ag/2VcrLM3, https://herit.ag/2Vdv3ij

StateIllinoisYear2017NameSteveland KiddCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Steveland Kidd pleaded guilty to two counts of violating absentee ballots during a municipal election in April 2013. Kidd took possession of, and delivered, an absentee ballot to election authorities despite not being legally allowed to do so. The crime is a Class Three felony. Kidd was sentenced to 12 days in the St. Clair County Jail and is now barred from engaging in campaign-related activities or electioneering.

Source: https://herit.ag/3750cqQ, https://herit.ag/3rDnvBs

StateIllinoisYear2017NameBrian McDouglarCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Brian McDouglar, a resident of Cahokia, Illinois, was sentenced to two years in prison on charges of falsifying or tampering with an absentee ballot, a class 3 felony. McDouglar illegally took an absentee ballot from a voter he was not related to and then placed that ballot in the mail.

Source: https://herit.ag/3761gL8, https://herit.ag/3eYmJtt, https://herit.ag/3BPBDft

StateIndianaYear2017NameMax JudsonCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Max Judson was convicted of election fraud and witness tampering during the 2014 primary election. While a candidate for city council during the election, he admitted that he solicited someone he knew not to be a resident of the district to cast an absentee ballot. He also admitted that when he realized he was being investigated, he attempted to intervene and deter the voter from communicating with law enforcement. He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison in addition to one year of supervised release and a $500 fine. He was also forced to resign from his seat on the Sullivan County Council.

Source: https://herit.ag/374MQLa, https://herit.ag/3zJOWfw, https://herit.ag/3rANWaM, bit.ly/2pL2u9h

StateMinnesotaYear2017NameMichelle Marie LandsteinerCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Michelle Marie Landsteiner forged the signature and voted for a family member during the 2016 Minnesota primary. However, the family member had already registered to vote elsewhere, and her ballot was flagged. Upon review, the voter's signature and the witness's signature looked extremely similar. Landsteiner pled guilty to unlawful voting and was sentenced to one year of probation and nearly $600 in fees. A 90-day jail sentence will be waived after completing her probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3x7RTFd

StateNew JerseyYear2017NameMelvin HowellCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Melvin Howell, of Asbury Park, pleaded guilty to a fourth degree felony charge after she filled out applications for nonexistent voters in a local school board election. According to the Union County Clerk, at least 54 ballots were tainted with irregularities. Howell was sentenced to one year of probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yf2YWw, https://herit.ag/3zH52Xv

StateTexasYear2017NameTyron DavisCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Tyron Davis, a former constable in Ellis County, Texas, was convicted of six counts of voter fraud for assisting nursing home residents with their mail-in ballots and voter registration applications without identifying his assistance on the ballot. He was also convicted of false identification as a peace officer for having pasted an image of his face onto the body of a peace officer for use on a flier advertising his assistance at the nursing home during his campaign, all before he became an officer. Davis resigned his officer's license to avoid jail time.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Wi1iNC, https://herit.ag/3yb4msS

Key & Definitions

Types of Cases

Criminal Conviction

Any case that results in a defendant entering a plea of guilty or no contest, or being found guilty in court of election-related offenses.

Judicial Finding

A finding by a court of law that fraud occurred in an election, including judicial orders overturning election results or ordering a new election due to fraud.

Civil Penalty

Any civil case resulting in fines or other penalties imposed for a violation of election laws.

Official Finding

A finding by a government body that fraud occurred in an election, including orders overturning election results or ordering a new election due to fraud.

Diversion Program

Any criminal case in which a judge directs a defendant into a pre-trial diversion program, or stays or defers adjudication with the understanding that the conviction will be cleared upon completion of the program.

Types of Voter Fraud

Fraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Requesting absentee ballots and voting without the knowledge of the actual voter; or obtaining the absentee ballot from a voter and either filling it in directly and forging the voter’s signature or illegally telling the voter who to vote for.

Ineligible Voting

Illegal registration and voting by individuals who are not U.S. citizens, are convicted felons, or are otherwise not eligible to vote.

Impersonation Fraud At The Polls

Voting in the name of other legitimate voters and voters who have died, moved away, or lost their right to vote because they are felons, but remain registered.

Buying Votes

Paying voters to cast either an in-person or absentee ballot for a particular candidate.

Ballot Petition Fraud

Forging the signatures of registered voters on the ballot petitions that must be filed with election officials in some states for a candidate or issue to be listed on the official ballot

Duplicate Voting

Registering in multiple locations and voting in the same election in more than one jurisdiction or state.

False Registrations

Voting under fraudulent voter registrations that either use a phony name and a real or fake address or claim residence in a particular jurisdiction where the registered voter does not actually live and is not entitled to vote.

Altering The Vote Count

Changing the actual vote count either in a precinct or at the central location where votes are counted.

Illegal "Assistance" At The Polls

Forcing or intimidating voters—particularly the elderly, disabled, illiterate, and those for whom English is a second language—to vote for particular candidates while supposedly providing them with “assistance.”