A troubling case of alleged voter fraud has emerged in Colorado, involving a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier and one of her acquaintances. The two women are accused of intercepting mail-in ballots and submitting them fraudulently ahead of the 2024 election, sparking concerns over election security even as officials emphasize the system’s effectiveness in detecting fraud.
The incident began in late October when Mesa County officials received complaints from residents in Grand Valley who never received their mail-in ballots. Strangely, these same ballots had been submitted and subsequently rejected due to signature mismatches.
On October 21, the 21st District Attorney’s Office launched an investigation. Authorities soon discovered ballots missing from clustered mailboxes, with no signs of forced entry. This suggested an insider might be involved. The investigation revealed that several complainants lived within a half-mile radius, and on October 12, 64-year-old mail carrier Vicki Lyn Stuart had substituted on their route.
When questioned on October 24, Stuart initially denied any wrongdoing. She claimed she had marked about 20 ballots as “return to sender” after noticing name discrepancies between the ballots and mailboxes. According to an affidavit, she told investigators there was “no chance her DNA would be on the inside of any of the envelopes,” asserting she followed protocol.
However, USPS policies require that mail carriers deliver ballots regardless of name mismatches, as they cannot verify residency. Stuart’s actions, therefore, raised red flags.
Investigators later turned their attention to 59-year-old Sally Jane Maxedon, a friend of Stuart. On Election Day, Maxedon admitted to filling out ballots that didn’t belong to her. Initially, she spun an elaborate tale involving a Colorado Bureau of Investigation agent and a mall parking lot but later confessed to the scheme.
Maxedon revealed that she and Stuart devised a plan to test the integrity of Colorado’s mail-in voting system. According to her confession, Stuart stole ballots and handed them to Maxedon, who forged signatures to see if the system could detect the discrepancies.
The affidavit states their objective was to “determine if the signature verification process would detect if the forged signatures were not those of the known voter signatures on file.”
Authorities identified at least 16 victims, though they believe there could be more than 20. Of the stolen ballots submitted, nine were flagged and removed for suspected fraud. Alarmingly, at least three fraudulent ballots were processed and counted.
The day after the election, both women were arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including forgery, identity theft, and attempting to influence a public servant.
USPS confirmed Stuart’s employment and stated she has been placed on “emergency, non-duty status.” Meanwhile, questions linger about whether the victims were able to vote in the election after their ballots were compromised.
Despite the concerning nature of the case, officials have highlighted the effectiveness of Colorado’s election security measures. Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Bobbie Gross praised the swift response of law enforcement.
“I am deeply grateful for the diligence and thorough efforts of the District Attorney’s Office in addressing this matter,” Gross said in a statement. “I am proud our security measures are effective, and we will remain vigilant to safeguard the integrity of our elections.”
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold echoed this sentiment, explaining that once a ballot’s signature is verified, it is separated from the envelope, making it impossible to trace specific fraudulent votes after they’ve been counted.
Interestingly, the Colorado Sun used the incident to critique those questioning election security, pointing out that Stuart is a registered Republican and that the fraudulent ballots represented only a small fraction of Mesa County’s total vote count.
“Mesa County is a Republican-dominated part of the state that has been central to election conspiracies peddled by conservatives in recent years,” the outlet noted, implying the case highlights the dangers of both election fraud and misinformation.
While the scale of this fraud may be small, it underscores the importance of maintaining robust election security measures. As the case unfolds, it will likely continue to fuel debates around voter fraud, election integrity, and the balance between security and accessibility in the voting process.
This incident serves as a reminder that even minor breaches can undermine public confidence, making the pursuit of accountability and transparency essential for safeguarding democratic institutions.
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