DA: Judge of elections in Lehigh County charged in darkening of ballot choices
A judge of elections in an Allentown, Pa., ward is facing criminal charges for allegedly “assisting” voters by darkening the bubbles already filled out on about 30 ballots in this year’s primary election.
Erika Bickford, also known as Everett Edward Bickford and the Rev. Everett E. Bickford, has served as the elected judge of elections in the 3rd Ward of Allentown for at least the past ten years.
She was charged Monday with insertion and alteration of entries in documents and prying into ballots, both misdemeanors, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said.
Bickford voluntarily surrendered to detectives on Monday, was arraigned and released on her own recognizance, Martin said.
At issue are ballots in Allentown’s 3rd Ward and the contested Democratic primary between Peter Schweyer and Enid Santiago for Pennsylvania House of Representatives 22nd Legislative District, which covers part of Allentown.
Bickford is not accused of altering or changing a vote to favor one of the candidates, but “it appears clear beyond a reasonable doubt that Ms. Bickford ‘colored in’ or ‘darkened’ marks or ‘bubbles’ on the ballots of about thirty voters,” Martin said.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary election was postponed until June 2 this year.
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2020/10/06/Judge-of-elections-charged-ballots-Lehigh-County-pennsylvania/stories/202010060105
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