Valerie Smith, a former Canton city clerk, falsely attested to witnessing voters swear their applications before her. Smith was charged with 15 felony counts, and pleaded guilty to a charge that she violated voter registration statutes. She was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered to pay a fine and cover the costs of the investigation. Mississippi. 2019. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Dolores Shaw, the Judge of Election at Philadelphia Poll 43-7, and three other election-board members were indicted after allegations of fraud in Philadelphia’s 43rd Ward surfaced after the 2017 special election for the statehouse seat for the 197th District. The cabal were accused of, among other things, intimidating voters who did not want to vote for the Democratic candidate. In court, witnesses testified that they were not able to cast ballots for the candidates of their choice. Shaw received an accelerated rehabilitative disposition for compromising the local election board. Pennsylvania. 2018. Miscellaneous. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Thurman George, a Democrat election-board member and machine inspector at Philadelphia Poll 43-7, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of fraud by an election officer. George and three other board members were indicted after allegations of fraud in Philadelphia’s 43rd Ward surfaced after the 2017 special election for the statehouse seat for the 197th District. The cabal were accused of, among other things, intimidating voters who did not want to vote for the Democratic candidate. In court, witnesses testified that they were not able to cast ballots for the candidates of their choice. George was sentenced to five years of probation and was stripped of his right to vote until 2022. Pennsylvania. 2018. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Noe Olvera pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge. Olvera, a postman, admitted to taking a $1,000 bribe from a paid campaign worker in exchange for a list of the names and addresses of mail-in ballot recipients on his postal route. After a two-year investigation into local voting fraud, hidden camera footage surfaced revealing a uniformed and on-the-job Olvera “negotiating an exchange of money for mail-in voter lists.” Olvera was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison. Texas. 2017. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Keith Justice, of Pikeville, pleaded guilty to four counts of attempting to intimidate an election officer and one count of attempting to interfere with an election. The charges stem from the May 2016 state primary in which Justice, a licensed private investigator employed by Kentucky Senate Democratic Leader Ray Jones, D-Pikeville, falsely identified himself as a state voting inspector to both voters and poll workers, and claimed to be investigating election fraud. On election day, he ordered poll workers to provide written and audio statements, followed voters, and even entered at least one private residence demanding the names of voters the homeowner had driven to the polls. Justice was sentenced to home incarceration for 30 days, was ordered to pay a $500 fine, and was required to surrender his private investigator’s license for a year. Kentucky. 2017. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Mary P. Taylor was found guilty of a misdemeanor charge of “communicating false information to registered voters.” Taylor, a critic of the Hampton school board, designed a fake website registered in the name of Ann Stephens Cherry, a candidate for the board, which endorsed incumbent Martha Mugler. On the website, Taylor posted a fake election date that fell one week after the real election. The Judge sentenced Taylor to 100 hours of community service and imposed a $1,000 fine. Virginia. 2016. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
James Webb Baker, of Seattle, pleaded guilty to ID Fraud and intimidation of voters. Responding to perceived suppression of Hispanic voters who favored Democrat candidates, Baker mailed fake county election documents to Palm Beach County, Florida, residents demanding proof of citizenship to avoid having their voter registrations cancelled. Nearly 200 residents were targeted, all with connections to the Republican Party. Florida. 2014. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Fran Knapp, former Dutchess County Democratic Elections Commissioner, pleaded guilty to signing a poll watcher’s certificate while unauthorized in 2012 and falsifying a treasurer’s report for her husband’s 2007 Poughkeepsie mayoral campaign (both misdemeanors). As part of a plea agreement, she agreed to resign and pay a $175 fine. New York. 2013. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Paul Schurick, the former Campaign Manager to Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, was convicted of election fraud after approving a robocall to black voters telling them not to vote because the Democrats had already won the 2010 gubernatorial election. A Circuit Court Judge spared Schurick jail time, opting to sentence him to 30 days’ home detention, four years of probation, and 500 hours of community service. Julius Henson was also convicted on one count of conspiracy to violate election law for his part in recording the robocall. A Circuit Court judge sentenced Henson to 60 days in jail and ordered him to complete 300 hours of community service. Maryland. 2012. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Brenda Cornwell, of Hardin County, pleaded guilty to prohibitions related to petitions or declarations, election falsification, and forgery. She was sentenced to three years’ community control and ordered to pay a $50 fine, attorney’s fees, and court costs. Ohio. 2009. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Jami Parkinson Billings, of Goliad County, illegally revealed the results of a 2008 municipal election before the vote had concluded. Billings pleaded nolo contendere to one count of “unlawfully revealing information before polls close,” was sentenced to two years of deferred adjudication, and was ordered to pay a $3,000 fine and complete two years of community supervision. Texas. 2008. Miscellaneous. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Jalynn Stowers, of Hardin County, pleaded guilty to one count of prohibitions relating to petitions or declarations, an election fraud charge. She was sentenced to two years of community control and ordered to pay a $50 fine, court costs, and attorney’s fees. Ohio. 2008. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Danielle Phillips, of Hardin County, pleaded guilty to voter fraud. She was sentenced to three years’ community control and 75 hours’ community service, and was ordered to pay a $50 fine, court costs, and attorney’s fees. Ohio. 2008. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Natividad Hernandez pleaded guilty to unauthorized entry at the polls during the 2003 East Chicago Democratic mayoral primary election. Fraud in this 2003 mayoral primary was widespread, and the Indiana Supreme Court ultimately overturned the election results and ordered a special election that resulted in a different winner. Indiana. 2008. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Verline Mayo, Gertrude Otteridge, and Mary McClatcher pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor voter fraud charges after admitting that, while acting as poll workers, they conspired to cast at least three falsified votes–two of them in the name of deceased voters–as part of a scheme to favor State Senate candidate Ophelia Ford. Ford won the 2005 election by only 13 votes, but the result was thrown out by the Senate citing the fraudulent votes. Mayo received two years’ probation, $1,000 in fines and 200 hours of community service. Otteridge and McClatcher were sentenced to one year of probation plus fines and community service. Tennessee. 2007. Miscellaneous. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary