ATLANTA, Ga. — A man was convicted after District Attorney Chris Arnt said he committed voter fraud in the January 2021 runoff election.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said during the voting period for the January 2021 runoff election, Walker County resident William Chase filled out another Walker County resident’s ballot after it was sent to a Post Office box.
In the January 2021 runoff, Georgia residents were expected to vote in the race between David Perdue and Jon Ossoff, as well as the race between Raphael Warnock and Kelly Loeffler.
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Raffensperger said Chase got the other resident’s ballot because it was sent to her old address by accident.
When the husband of the original owner of the ballot got his, and she did not receive hers, Raffensperger said she called the Walker County Elections Office to ask why.
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Officials with the elections office said they could detect a fraudulent signature on the ballot, which had been cast but not yet counted.
Raffensperger said the voter eventually got a genuine ballot and cast her vote.
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“The integrity of elections that are free of fraud and secure is one of the things America is founded on,” said Raffensperger. “We protect them vigorously and prosecute people who undermine them just as vigorously.”
Chase was convicted of forgery, illegal acts regarding election documents, unlawful acts regarding the elector’s vote, and repeat voting in the same election.
Chase was sentenced to 25 years, with the first 15 years to be served without the possibility of parole.
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