Postal Worker Changed Party Affiliations On Absentee Ballot Requests

A postal worker in West Virginia pleaded guilty to charges that he altered absentee ballot requests he collected from the residents of three rural towns. Thomas Cooper had a contract to pick up mail for people in Onego, Riverton, and Franklin and was responsible for dropping off the absentee ballot requests to the Pendleton County Clerk's office.

Officials became suspicious after he dropped off the forms in April. An investigation found that the party affiliation on five of the forms had been changed from Democrat to Republican. Three other forms, which had already checked the box marked Republican, were also altered. On those forms, he circled the box labeled Republican with a black pen.

Cooper admitted to making the changes but told investigators that he did "as a joke" and that he did not know the voters. He pleaded guilty to attempted election fraud and injury to the mail.

Photo: Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content