Election-Related Fraud Prosecutions
✅ What Is Election-Related Fraud?
Election-related fraud covers crimes like:
Voter fraud (illegal voting, impersonation, voting twice)
Ballot fraud (forging absentee ballots, tampering with vote counts)
Campaign finance fraud (illegal contributions, dark money schemes)
Foreign interference or misinformation
Voter suppression efforts
These are typically prosecuted under federal laws (like 18 U.S.C. § 1001, § 371, § 1343) or state election laws.
🔍 Detailed Case Studies
1. United States v. Leslie McCrae Dowless (North Carolina, 2018)
Absentee Ballot Fraud
Background: Dowless, a political operative in NC’s 9th Congressional District race, organized a scheme to collect and manipulate absentee ballots for a Republican candidate.
Charges:
Conspiracy to commit election fraud
Obstruction of justice
Illegal possession of absentee ballots
Legal Issues:
Ballot harvesting and tampering
Witness fraud (false signatures on ballots)
Outcome: Dowless was indicted and pleaded guilty; election results were overturned, and a new election was ordered — one of the few proven major election fraud cases in recent U.S. history.
2. United States v. Dinesh D’Souza (2014)
Campaign Finance Fraud
Background: D’Souza, a conservative commentator, was charged with making illegal campaign contributions using "straw donors" to exceed federal donation limits.
Charges:
Campaign finance violations
Making false statements
Causing false records to be filed with the FEC
Legal Issues:
Evading contribution limits by reimbursing others for donations
False documentation filed with the FEC
Outcome: D’Souza pleaded guilty, received probation, a fine, and community service. He was later pardoned by President Trump — but the case remains a key precedent for campaign finance enforcement.
3. United States v. Donald Kirk Hartle (Nevada, 2021)
Voting Using a Deceased Person’s Name
Background: Hartle voted using the name of his deceased wife in the 2020 election, initially claiming it was fraud against him.
Charges:
Illegal voting
False information on voter registration
Legal Issues:
Fraudulent use of voter identity
False narrative to undermine election trust
Outcome: Hartle pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation; the case gained attention because it disproved his original fraud claim.
4. United States v. Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman (Michigan & Ohio, 2020)
Voter Suppression via Robocalls
Background: Wohl and Burkman used robocalls targeting minority voters with false claims that voting by mail would result in arrest or data tracking.
Charges:
Voter intimidation
Conspiracy to suppress votes
Use of telecommunications for fraud
Legal Issues:
Suppressing the vote through misinformation
Targeted racial intimidation
Outcome: Both were indicted and pleaded guilty to felony voter suppression charges in Ohio. Sentenced to probation, fines, and community service.
5. United States v. John Enright (Florida, 2020)
Voting in Multiple States
Background: Enright voted in both Florida and New York during federal elections.
Charges:
Double voting
False swearing on election documents
Legal Issues:
Voting in two states is illegal in federal elections
Identity and address fraud
Outcome: Pleaded guilty; sentenced to probation and barred from future voting in certain jurisdictions.
6. United States v. Jesse Benton (2022)
Illegal Campaign Contributions from Foreign Nationals
Background: Benton, a political consultant, accepted money from a foreign national and arranged for it to be illegally contributed to a U.S. political campaign.
Charges:
Conspiracy
Falsifying records
Causing false FEC reports
Legal Issues:
Foreign nationals cannot contribute to U.S. campaigns
Misreporting campaign contributions
Outcome: Convicted and sentenced to federal prison. This case reinforced the ban on foreign influence in U.S. elections.
⚖️ Legal Statutes Often Used in Election Fraud Cases
| Statute | Description |
|---|---|
| 52 U.S.C. § 10307 | Prohibits voter intimidation and coercion |
| 18 U.S.C. § 1001 | False statements to the federal government |
| 18 U.S.C. § 1343 | Wire fraud (used when fraud uses phones or the internet) |
| 18 U.S.C. § 371 | Conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S. |
| Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) | Governs campaign finance rules and violations |
🎯 Summary
Election-related fraud prosecutions are rare but serious. The law targets both:
Individual voter fraud (like double voting or impersonation), and
Systemic fraud (like fake ballots, foreign donations, or voter suppression schemes).
These cases often involve criminal charges, federal investigations, and sometimes overturn election results — as in Dowless's case.
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