In the latest of a long line of election integrity offenses making headlines, a volunteer election worker in Michigan is facing charges of falsifying election records.
Allegedly, Donald Holkeboer inserted a personal USB flash drive into a precinct computer during the Aug. 2 primary election.
Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker has led in bringing two felony charges against Holkeboer — falsifying election records and using a computer to commit election fraud.
Holkeboer is not a Kent County employee but is a local resident and was certified to work the election, MLive news reported.
Reuters reported that if Holkeboer is convicted, he could face up to nine years in prison.
The alleged crime occurred in Gaines Township, a suburb of Grand Rapids. Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons referred to the crime as “extremely egregious and incredibly alarming.”
Lyons added: “Not only is it a violation of Michigan law, but it is a violation of public trust and of the oath all election workers are required to take,” according to the Reuters report.
According to Lyons, a whistleblower reported they witnessed Holkeboer putting a flash drive into the electronic poll book containing confidential voter registration data.
Lyons emphasized that Holkeboer’s actions did not compromise the election, noting that the information that was attempted to be accessed had already been saved to an encrypted system.
Lyons also noted that the “computer in question was not connected to any tabulation equipment or the internet.” Nevertheless, MLive news reported, “there are plans to audit the Aug. 2 election and count the paper ballots.”
In trying to assure the public that the November midterms will be a free and fair election, Lyons said: “Let me be very clear: voter fraud and illegal election activity in Kent County will not be tolerated. Our citizens deserve to have faith in their elections and in those who work them.”
Lyons added: “I will do everything possible to keep Kent County’s elections secure, transparent, fair, and accurate. If someone or something threatens that, we will take aggressive action to protect our elections and hold those responsible accountable.”
Reuters noted that Angela Benander, a spokesman from Michigan’s Secretary of State’s office announced that “the computer that was breached by the election worker in Kent County will not be used in November’s upcoming.”
Benander added: “While our elections remain secure and safe, we take seriously all violations of election law and will continue to work with the relevant authorities to assure there are consequences for those who break the law.”
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