Election Fraud Cases

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StatePennsylvaniaYear2022NameCheryl MihaliakCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeImpersonation Fraud At The Polls, Fraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots

Cheryl Mihaliak was charged by the state in Lancaster County with two counts of forging and destroying ballots after filling out and submitting an absentee ballot on behalf of her deceased mother during the May 2022 primary election. Mihaliak had requested an absentee ballot for her and her mother (Teresa Mihaliak), as her caregiver, but her mother died on April 14 before she could fill out the ballot. However, the county board of elections received a ballot for the mother completed by her daughter on April 28. Mihaliak pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of forging and destroying ballots and was sentenced to 2 years of probation, assessed $1,610.75 in fines and fees, and is barred from voting for 4 years.

Source: https://herit.ag/46vmWwi , https://herit.ag/3MWw8mt , https://herit.ag/3GhgU7H

StatePennsylvaniaYear2022NameFrancis PrestoCase TypeDiversion ProgramFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots, Impersonation Fraud At The Polls

Francis Presto of South Park, a registered Republican, requested and cast an absentee ballot on behalf of his deceased wife. He was charged with felonies for interfering with an election and unlawful use of a computer and a misdemeanor charge for forging a ballot. He was sentenced to a diversion program of 2 years and ordered to complete 250 hours of community service. His charges will be dropped upon completion of the terms of his diversion program.

Source: https://herit.ag/3ONL8BN, https://herit.ag/3P2FQT9, https://herit.ag/3OM1RoO

StatePennsylvaniaYear2022NameMelissa FisherCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeFraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots, Impersonation Fraud At The Polls

Melissa Fisher was charged with a misdemeanor count of violating absentee and mail-in ballot provisions after signing and submitting an absentee ballot on behalf of her deceased mother during the 2020 general election in Quakertown. She pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge and two unrelated theft charges and was sentenced to 3 to 23 months in prison and 3 years’ probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3A4ZlUV

StatePennsylvaniaYear2021NameRalph Holloway ThurmanCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeImpersonation Fraud At The Polls

Registered Republican Ralph Holloway Thurman voted twice in the 2020 presidential election. After casting his vote, Thurman asked a poll worker if he could vote on behalf of his son, and when workers informed him that it was not allowed, he left the building. Later that day Thurman returned, disguised in a hat and sunglasses, and signed the poll book as his son, a registered Democrat. After casting the second ballot, pollsters recognized him, notified the judge of elections, but Thurman left before election officials could confront him. He pleaded guilty to one count of repeat voting, a felony. Thurman was sentenced to three years' probation and is barred from voting for four years as part of a negotiated plea deal.

Source: https://herit.ag/3vQ5CRV, https://herit.ag/3vQ5CRV, https://herit.ag/2XLR6y2

StatePennsylvaniaYear2016NameCheryl Ali (aka Cheryl Jamison)Case TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeImpersonation Fraud At The Polls

Cheryl Ali, 57, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges: unlawful assistance in voting, and falsely holding the position of an election officer. In the May 2014 primary, Ali voted on behalf of her mother, whom she claimed was ill. In the May 2014 general election, Ali served as machine inspector at a polling place even though she did not live in that division. Ali was sentenced to one year of probation and stripped of her voting rights for the next four years. As part of her plea bargain, the felony charges against her were dismissed.

Source: https://herit.ag/3tX2vH1, https://herit.ag/3zHOZZC

StatePennsylvaniaYear2016NameRobin Trainor, Laura MurtaughCase TypeCriminal ConvictionFraud TypeImpersonation Fraud At The Polls

Robin Trainor, 56, and Laura Murtaugh, 57, were each sentenced to a year of probation and will not be allowed to vote for the next four years after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges of election code violations. According to witnesses, Trainor, who was serving as the judge of elections at the polling place (even though she was disqualified from doing so as a public official), went into the voting booth with her husband and told him how to vote. She then stepped out of the voting booth, spoke to Murtaugh (who was serving as the minority elections inspector at the polling place), signed the election register under her 23-year-old son's name, reset the voting machine, returned to the voting booth, and cast a ballot in his name. Trainor pleaded guilty to two charges--failure to perform duty and falsely holding the position of an election officer--and Murtaugh pleaded guilty to failure to perform her duty. As part of their plea bargains, the felony charges against them were dismissed.

Source: bit.ly/2f8z2D8, https://herit.ag/3tX2vH1

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.”