A former Republican congressional candidate has been arrested and charged with stealing ballots during a test of a voting system in Madison County, Indiana, according to the Indiana State Police.
The incident took place on October 3, when election officials were conducting a test involving four voting machines and a total of 136 candidate ballots. During this process, officials noticed that two ballots were missing, which triggered an investigation that ultimately led to the arrest of the former candidate, Larry Savage.
This arrest has heightened concerns in a state where voter fraud is typically very uncommon, particularly given previous claims by former President Donald Trump and some Republican supporters regarding election integrity. Despite ongoing debates about electoral fraud, courts have repeatedly dismissed numerous lawsuits alleging such fraud connected to the 2020 election.
Trump has consistently maintained his unsubstantiated claim that the 2020 election was stolen, a belief echoed by a significant number of Republican members in Congress. In response to these concerns, various states and counties have increased their security protocols.
Police reports indicate that surveillance footage captured 51-year-old Savage, who is also a precinct committeeman, folding and pocketing two ballots after receiving information regarding the validity of the test ballots. Following a search warrant, authorities searched Savage’s home and found the missing ballots in his vehicle.
Griffin Reid, communications director for the Indiana Republican Party, stated, “We unequivocally condemn any form of criminal election interference. We appreciate law enforcement’s commitment to pursuing justice and will continue to monitor this situation as it develops.”
The party has also expressed a strong desire to keep Trump out of Washington, D.C., unless he is attending court proceedings.
Savage now faces charges related to the destruction or misplacement of a ballot and theft, according to online records. He currently has no defense attorney listed and has been released on bond. Prior to surrendering to authorities on Tuesday morning, Savage insisted on his innocence, claiming the charges against him were exaggerated.
Previously, Savage had campaigned for the Republican nomination in Indiana’s Fifth Congressional District but garnered less than 2% of the vote in the party’s primary. Victoria Spartz, the current representative for the district, won the nomination and will face Democratic candidate Deborah Pickett in the upcoming election.
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