Avoiding voter fraud

With the upcoming November election, the Tehama County Elections Department and the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office shared the following information concerning voter fraud.

Tehama County Clerk/Recorder Sean Houghtby said his office takes any allegation of voter fraud seriously and will report any suspected instances of voter fraud to the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office for investigation and prosecution.

In order to clear up any misconceptions about voting, the county elections department offers the following information about what residents can not do:

• Complete another person’s ballot

• Forge another person’s signature

• Alter the party affiliation of a voter’s affidavit

• Misrepresent a voter registration as having assisted a citizen to register

• Return another person's ballot without their permission

• Tell another person how to vote at the polls

• Promote a candidate or other contest on the ballot near a polling place

• Attempt to record, block or intimidate voters entering a polling place

• Destroy another person’s ballot

• Attempt to register as someone other than yourself

• Falsify voter registration information

He added that any suspected voter fraud should be reported to the Tehama County Elections Office for investigation and further action as deemed necessary.

Violations of voting laws in California can subject the offender to prison or jail along with hefty fines and penalties, Houghtby said.

Houghtby and Tehama County District Attorney Matt Rogers both agree, “Fair elections are the backbone of our country and must be vigorously protected. Any suspected voter fraud will be actively and aggressively pursued.”