A Mobile woman has been accused of forging the signature of an ‘incapacitated’ nursing home resident on a voter application form to obtain an absentee ballot.
Michele Toomey, an employee at the nursing home where the victim of the forgery lives, was arrested on October 25th and charged with voter harvesting, forgery, and identity theft.
According to authorities, Toomey, 54, filled out the form, put a pen in the hand of the incapacitated individual, and had him sign an “X” on the signature line.
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“The idea someone can just fill out paperwork for somebody else who can’t even consent to that and then try to vote for them, that’s not free and fair,” Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood told FOX 10 News. “The idea someone can just fill out paperwork for somebody else who can’t even consent to that and then try to vote for them, that’s not free and fair,” Blackwood said.
“In a case where we think election laws were broken, we’re gonna pursue that. We’re gonna prosecute it. I think most people in Mobile County want to have a free and fair election.”
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Blackstone explained that Toomey’s actions ran afoul of basic voter laws in Alabama. While the nursing home isn’t being named, the DA says rules were sent to the employees to make sure something like this didn’t happen.
Toomey was released on a bond of $22,000 shortly after being arrested.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten
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