Collingdale man charged with voter fraud
A Collingdale man has been charged with voter fraud for allegedly filing an absentee ballot for a person who died last year.
Harry Sandoe Maxwell Jr., 79, of the 100 block of Lafayette Avenue, is charged with forgery, tampering with records, conspiracy, and violations of the elections code, all firstdegree misdemeanors, according to online court records. “Mr. Maxwell’s corrupt actions are an affront to democracy, as he violated one of our greatest privileges as citizens,” said Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland in a release. “In order to assist in protecting the integrity of our electoral system and ensure that all Delaware County residents can cast their ballot unimpeded, my office will continue to do everything in its power to uncover voter fraud and bring to justice those who try to manipulate the outcome of elections in Delaware County.”
An investigation was launched after Delaware County Bureau of Elections Chief Clerk Laureen Hagan reported to Criminal Investigation Division detectives Robert Lythgoe and Lisa DeMartini that her office had received an absentee ballot Oct. 25 for the Nov. 6 General Election for an individual who was deceased.
Detectives confirmed with the Bucks County Coroner that the person had died April 23, 2017. The address listed on the absentee ballot application was for a property owned by Maxwell on the 100 block of Lafayette Avenue.
When Lythgoe and DeMartini arrived at Maxwell’s residence Oct. 29, he allegedly confessed.
“That’s me, I’m guilty, I had someone sign the name,” he said, according to the release.
Maxwell allegedly told the detectives that he routinely picks up “girls” in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia and brings them to his home in order to obtain absentee ballot signatures from them.
He said one woman that he knows by the name of Brooke signed the name of the deceased person giving rise to the investigation at his request.
Copeland spokeswoman Emily Harris said the ballot in question here was not counted and there is no further investigation of other ballots at this time. It was unknown if Maxwell had carried out the same conspiracy in prior elections.
Maxwell was preliminarily arraigned Monday before Magisterial District Judge Gregory J. Loftus, who set bail at $20,000 unsecured. A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 4.