FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — Five people will be charged with felony voter fraud following a police investigation in Fond du Lac County, the district attorney announced Thursday.
Eric Toney, Fond du Lac County district attorney, said a community member sent information to the police claiming possible election fraud of several people. He said that triggered an investigation by the Fond du Lac Police Department, which found five people illegally registered to vote using a P.O. Box addressed to a UPS store in Fond du Lac.
ICYMI: The Fond du Lac Co. DA announced 5 people will be charged with felony voter fraud after they illegally registered to vote using a P.O. Box addressed to a UPS store. The DA said 3/5 voted in Nov. 2020 election and didn’t indicate they voted more than once @NBC26 pic.twitter.com/eBHePfTTIp
— Kelsey Dickeson (@KelseyDickeson) February 10, 2022
Toney said three of the five people charged did vote in the November 2020 election and voted along different party lines. Toney said the suspects in the case don't have fixed addresses.
“Even if someone doesn’t have a stable residence, they’re still able to vote. They’re still able to register," Toney said. "It’s just a question of making sure they do it lawfully and not listing a P.O. Box, because when you’re registered to vote you clearly don’t live at a P.O. Box.”
Toney said election clerks didn't catch it, because the addresses aren't listed as a P.O. Box on the registration form. He said the addresses appear as though they're tied to an apartment or condo.
Toney added the charges aren't related to voter fraud claims in the November 2020 election and didn't indicate the people involved voted more than once.
“This is about protecting the integrity of our electoral process and if somebody has violated our election law we’re going to take it seriously," Toney said. "The role of a district attorney is to enforce the rule of law and for justice."
The suspects are looking at Class I Felonies. If convicted, the charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 3.5 years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Toney is also pushing legislation that would allow citizens to file complaints with district attorneys and ask them to intervene in these types of situation. This would require a legislative change in election code.
Toney is running as a Republican candidate for state attorney general.
