A Democratic poll worker in Indiana was ejected over allegations that he had pressured poll-goers to vote for certain Democratic candidates last week, according to reports.
The first incident occurred on Thursday at a polling place in Carmel when poll worker James Zheng entered the polling station with a pair of black voters and urged them not to vote for the pro-parent candidates.
The second incident then involved Zheng assisting a voter with an electronic ballot and pressing the “straight Democrat ticket” option during the explanation.
Hamilton County election administrator Beth Sheller later announced on Friday that Zheng had been removed and would not be allowed back to the polling station.
Hamilton County GOP chairman Mario Massillamany condemned the incident in a statement Saturday.
“This should serve as a cautionary reminder that those desperate to hold onto power or gain power will do anything – including breaking the law – to thwart the efforts of parents and taxpayers to replace our school boards with officials who more accurately reflect the values of our community,” Massillamany said. “If you see something suspicious, please report such activity immediately to a poll worker or other election official immediately.”
The incident comes after reports of ballot harvesting by Democrats have been rampant across the U.S., most recently in the case of the former mayor of San Luis, Guillermina Fuentes, who was sentenced to jail after being convicted of ballot harvesting charges in June.
Investigators found that Fuentes filled out one voter’s ballot and forged signatures on some of the four ballots she illegally returned to non-family members. Most state laws only allow family members, household members, or caregivers of the voter to collect voted or unvoted early ballots from another person.
While the case involved only a handful of ballots, investigators believe the operation went much farther.
Democrats are fearing that the infighting and overall dissatisfaction with the Biden administration could cost them their majority in Congress during the midterms, so it makes sense that they’re playing dirty to increase their election chances.
A recent NYT/Siena College survey found that 49 percent of voters are more likely to vote for a Republican candidate in the midterms, compared to the 45 percent who plan to vote for a Democrat.
