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WARREN -- The Trumbull County Board of Elections voted to refer to the sheriff's office an alleged voter fraud matter and a voter interference incident stemming from the Nov. 7 election.
In one case, Andy Terrell of Liberty, a poll worker, is accused of putting his name on the list of write-in candidates for the village's school board race and then destroying the document when confronted, Stephanie Penrose, board director, said.
The other case involves Mary E. Horvath of Lordstown, who was given an incorrect Brookfield ballot -- for Mary A. Horvath -- at the board of elections during early voting, Penrose said. Five days after voting, Mary E. Horvath told election employees, including Penrose, that she cast the wrong ballot and is accused of voting at her Lordstown polling location on Election Day.
The Horvath incident could be potential voter fraud as she voted twice, including once for someone else, Penrose said.
The Terrell matter could be election interference because he is accused of destroying the list of write-in candidates for Liberty school board at the precinct where he was working when a board employee asked to see the document after the board received information about it from a voter, Penrose said.
"It could be an ethics violation," she said.
Terrell was removed as a poll worker after the alleged incident, Penrose said.
The board voted Wednesday to refer both issues to the sheriff's office for criminal investigation.
Terrell was working at a Liberty polling location on Election Day when a voter asked to see the list of candidates running for the board of education, Penrose said.
There were two write-ins running for two board seats. But the list Terrell provided also included his name, Penrose said. The board sent an employee out to check and when confronted, Terrell ripped up the paper, which is possible destruction of elections board property and election interference, Penrose said.
Penrose said she wasn't sure if Terrell received any write-in votes.
Under state election law, votes are counted only for those who file paperwork to run as write-in candidates.
"A lot of people write in their names if they can," Penrose said.
But the alleged criminal conduct is Terrell writing his name on the paper and then destroying it, she said.
In the Horvath case, Mary E. Horvath of Lordstown went to the board office to vote early. She gave her name and accidentally was given the ballot of Mary A. Horvath of Brookfield, Penrose said.
"She was asked her name and if she lived at such-and-such address and she said yes," Penrose said. "It was an error on our part because we do it alphabetically. But she signed in and filled out someone else's ballot. It was scanned in and she left."
Five days later, Horvath returned to the elections board office and argued with employees about getting the wrong ballot, Penrose said.
The ballot was counted, and Mary E. Horvath was told she couldn't then vote in Lordstown, Penrose said.
Board employees informed poll workers at Mary E. Horvath's polling location around 8 a.m. on Election Day that she wasn't permitted to vote, Penrose said. However, she had already voted there, Penrose said.
"She knowingly voted twice under two different names," Penrose said. "Both ballots counted."
It isn't believed that Mary A. Horvath didn't vote, Penrose said, though she would have been allowed to cast a ballot. Terrell and Mary E. Horvath could not be reached for comment.