A former Republican congressional candidate has been arrested and charged with stealing ballots during a test of a voting system in Madison County, according to the Indiana State Police in the United States.
The incident occurred on October 3, when election officials conducted a test involving four voting machines and a total of 136 candidate ballots.
During the testing process, officials discovered that two ballots were missing, prompting an investigation that led to the former candidate’s arrest, Reuters reports.
Meanwhile, this development has raised concerns in a state where voter fraud is exceedingly rare, particularly in light of previous allegations made by former President Donald Trump and some Republican allies regarding election integrity.
Despite ongoing discussions about electoral fraud in the US, courts have dismissed numerous lawsuits alleging fraud related to the 2020 election.
Reuters reports that Donald Trump has maintained his false assertion, endorsed by a significant portion of Republicans in Congress, that the 2020 election was stolen.
However, several states and counties have heightened their security measures.
Police reported that surveillance footage captured Larry Savage, 51, a precinct committeeman, folding and pocketing two ballots after receiving guidance about the legitimacy of the test ballots.
Following the issuance of a search warrant, authorities searched Savage’s residence and discovered the missing ballots in his vehicle.
“We unequivocally condemn any form of criminal election interference. We appreciate law enforcement’s commitment to pursuing justice, and we will continue to monitor this situation as it develops,” stated Griffin Reid, communications director for the Indiana Republican Party.
The party also expressed a strong desire to keep Trump away from Washington, D.C., unless he is in court.
Meanwhile, Savage faces charges of destroying or misplacing a ballot and theft, as indicated by online records.
There is currently no defence attorney listed for him, and he has been released on bond.
However, before surrendering to authorities on Tuesday morning, Savage maintained his innocence and claimed that the charges were exaggerated.
Savage previously ran for the Republican nomination in Indiana’s Fifth Congressional District but received less than 2% of the vote in the party’s primary.
Victoria Spartz, the current representative for the district, won the nomination and will compete against Democratic candidate Deborah Pickett in the upcoming election.