Election Fraud Cases
Details
Venustiano Hernandez-Hernandez
Venustiano Hernandez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant, registered to vote under the name Severo Benavidez in 1984 and voted in the 1996 and 2008 general elections, the 2002 primary election, and special elections in 2003 and 2009. After being deported in 1974, he obtained a false birth certificate, which he used to collect Social Security disability benefits and register to vote. As part of a plea deal, Hernandez-Hernandez admitted to having committed all of the charged conduct, and pleaded guilty to social security fraud and theft of public money (the voter fraud charges were dropped in exchange for his plea to the other charges). Prosecutors surmised that Hernandez-Hernandez received approximately $80,000 in disability payments between 2008 and 2012. As a result of his stolen identity, the real Severo Benevidez was denied Social Security payments. Hernandez-Hernandez was scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2012.
Source: https://herit.ag/3x7xLDb, https://herit.ag/3zGwEff
Key & Definitions
Types of Cases
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.
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.
Any civil case resulting in fines or other penalties imposed for a violation of election laws.
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.
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
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.
Illegal registration and voting by individuals who are not U.S. citizens, are convicted felons, or are otherwise not eligible to vote.
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.
Paying voters to cast either an in-person or absentee ballot for a particular candidate.
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
Registering in multiple locations and voting in the same election in more than one jurisdiction or state.
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.
Changing the actual vote count either in a precinct or at the central location where votes are counted.
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.”
