YCSO investigating cases of potential voter fraud
The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) and the Yuma County Recorder’s Office (YCRO) announced on Wednesday they are working together to actively examine cases of potential voter fraud from the 2020 General Election.
According to YCSO, the examination has led to the discovery of a recent pattern of fraudulent voter registration forms leading up to the 2022 Primary Election.
Spokesperson Tania Pavlak said that as of March 2022, the sheriff’s office has 16 open cases involving voter fraud that are currently being investigated.
“Because of the very recent cases we are seeing, Sheriff Leon Wilmot wanted to make the public aware of the types of voter fraud that is occurring,” Pavlak said.
Some examples of voter fraud Yuma County is currently seeing are the following:
• Impersonation fraud: Voting in the name of other legitimate voters and voters who have died or moved away.
• False registrations: Falsifying voter registrations by either using a real or fake name, birth date, or address. This is being done by outreach groups who are paid for each registration form they submit, therefore, are out soliciting voters into unnecessarily re-registering or falsifying forms with Yuma County resident’s identities.
• Duplicate voting: Submitting multiple votes or registering in multiple locations and voting in the same election in more than one jurisdiction or state.
• 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.
Pavlak added that the majority of voter fraud cases in Yuma County are related to duplicate voting, which is typically charged as illegal voting and false voting.
Under Arizona law, illegal voting is a class 5 or class 6 felony. A person found guilty faces up to 2 or 2.5 years in prison, fines, restitution, loss of voting rights, and/ or probation.
“if you suspect or witness individuals committing any of the mentioned voting frauds, share their name or any other identifying information with law enforcement immediately,” Pavlak said.
County residents who want to vote in the upcoming elections, check their registration status or update their registration information are advised to do so in person at the Yuma County Recorder’s Office or at the Arizona
Secretary of State’s Office prior to the July 5, deadline.
YCSO and YCRO are also warning people not to fill out voter registration forms in the community unless it is with a county employee as these can be mined for personal information and often take over a month to be submitted to the county recorder’s office for processing.
If Yuma County voters find any incorrect information in their current voter registration record, please notify the County Recorder’s Office immediately at (928) 373-6034 or voterservices@yumacountyaz.gov.
Anyone with information regarding voter fraudulent schemes or believe they have been a victim of a fraudulent vote, please contact YCSO at 928-7834427 or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.