July 29, 2013: Montgomery and Frederick County Grand Juries Return Indictments
For Immediate Release July 29, 2013
MONTGOMERY AND FREDERICK COUNTY GRAND JURIES RETURN INDICTMENTS ALLEGING ILLEGAL VOTING IN THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION
State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt has announced today that Montgomery and Frederick County Grand Juries have returned one indictment each alleging illegal voting in the 2012 Presidential General Election.
The Frederick County Grand Jury returned a three count indictment against Elsie Virginia Schlidt, 46, alleging: impersonating another person in an attempt to vote, attempting to vote under a false name, and attempting to vote more than once in the same election. The indictment alleges that Ms. Schlidt requested absentee ballots for herself as well as her mother. According to the indictment, Ms. Schlidt completed and mailed in her absentee ballot in the 2012 Presidential General Election. Ms. Schlidt’s mother died in September of 2012. The indictment further alleges that after her mother’s death, Ms. Schlidt signed her mother’s name to an absentee ballot and mailed it to the Frederick County Board of Elections. The Frederick County Board of Elections did not count the ballot on which Ms. Schlidt signed her mother’s name.
The Montgomery County Grand Jury returned a three count indictment against Linda Earlette Wells, age 67, alleging: impersonating a voter in order to register in the name of the voter, attempting to vote under a false name, and impersonating another person in an attempt to vote. The indictment alleges that Ms. Linda Wells called the Montgomery County Board of Elections the day before the presidential election and claimed to be her deceased mother, Beatrice Wells. Based on Ms. Linda Wells false representation that she was in fact Beatrice Wells, the Montgomery County Board of Elections re-activated Beatrice Wells voter registration from inactive (due to death) to active. On Election Day, Linda Earlette Wells, cast a provisional ballot as Beatrice Wells. The Montgomery Coutny Board of Elections did not count the ballot that Linda Earlette Wells cast as Beatrice Wells.
State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt stated: “It is vitally important that we protect the integrity of the ballot box and voting process. Ensuring that all citizens have the right to vote, as well as weeding out voting fraud are vital to the functioning of democracy.”
Although charged, both Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until there is a conviction. All charges carry a maximum penalty of 5 years and/or a $2,500 fine, except impersonating a voter in order to register under the name of the voter. That charges carries a maximum penalty of 5 years and/or a $1,000 fine.