Former USPS Worker Indicted for Allegedly Discarding Over 300 Mail-in Ballots in Utah

<p>A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) worker in Utah was indicted after allegedly setting aside more than 300 mail-in ballots at the start of his shift and discarding them without delivering any, according to officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ).</p><p>Damon Matai Seei, 34, of Payson, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 16 on charges related to the unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail. He was arrested on September 22 and made his initial appearance in federal court in Salt Lake City.</p><p>Federal prosecutors allege that Seei was working as a letter carrier on June 3 when he was responsible for delivering mail to over 300 residents in Eagle Mountain, Utah, ahead of the state's June 23 primary election.</p><p>The mail included advertisements and hundreds of mail-in ballots that were clearly marked as ballots, according to DOJ officials.</p><p>Officials stated that Seei separated the ballots from other mail shortly after beginning his shift, did not deliver any of them, and discarded them within about an hour and a half. Other mail was also discarded, officials noted.</p><p>Several voters later reported to the Utah County Clerk that they had not received their mail-in ballots, U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah said.</p><p>Using county databases, the clerk found that voter participation was unusually low in the area where the complaints originated, according to Holyoak.</p><p>It remains unclear whether the affected voters ultimately received replacement ballots or were able to vote. Holyoak stated that federal officials are continuing to investigate and plan to contact affected voters to determine whether they were able to cast ballots.</p><p>Seei has informed investigators that he did not have a political motive, according to DOJ officials. The investigation is ongoing.</p><p>Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter stated, "When American voters lawfully cast their vote, they should feel confident that it is counted. Allegedly throwing away hundreds of ballots is a serious federal crime that undermines the integrity of our elections. Ballot integrity is not a partisan issue."</p><p>The case was investigated jointly by the USPS Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).</p><p>Seei's next court appearance is scheduled for November 30.</p>