PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Plymouth Township woman is facing a felony charge after she was accused of attempting to obtain a ballot in the name of another person.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has charged Karen Lynne Rotondo, 57, with one count of knowingly making, filing or publishing a false signature on an absent voter application, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $1,000 fine.
Rotondo allegedly forged her daughter's signature on an application for an absent voter application and mailed the application to the Plymouth Township clerk. The daughter, who resides out-of-state, was unaware the application had been filed in her name.
“Serious criminal consequences exist for those who attempt to tamper with our election process,” Nessel said. “Michiganders should know that absentee ballot applications, which is the subject of this fraud investigation, are not just rubber-stamped and processed robotically. Clerks and other election officials conduct careful examinations of these applications to ensure they are authentic, complete and comport with the law.”
Upon receipt of the application, the clerk followed procedures and discovered evidence that the absent voter application was not executed by the person to whom it was sent, so no absentee ballot was actually sent.
“As I’ve said before and throughout my tenure, my goal is to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat in Michigan,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in a press release. “And make no mistake, when we receive allegations of people trying to cheat, we immediately investigate and if credible, refer for prosecution in order to maintain the integrity of Michigan elections.”
