An Indiana poll worker was removed from his early voting site in Carmel, Indiana, last week amid charges that he told two Black voters that Republican school board candidates were racists.
Beth Sheller, administrator for the Hamilton County Elections office, said that poll worker James Zheng’s comments resulted in his ejection from the election office.
Even further, county GOP Chairman Mario Massillamany accused Zheng of pretending to assist voters by pre-selecting the Democratic candidates across their entire ballot. Voters complained to officials that they did not know how to reverse what Zheng had done.
Zheng was reportedly not allowed to work on Election Day.
Election Administrator Beth Sheller confirmed to Fox News that her office learned of two incidents of possible electioneering and election interference. Sheller said she hopes to see the accused prosecuted.
The two voters he allegedly told that the GOP is racist reported the issue to a campaign worker outside the polling place. The second incident, according to Sheller, occurred when a voter asked for assistance with the electronic ballot.
Zheng was reported to have simply hit the “straight Democratic ticket” option, leaving the voter confused about how to change the worker’s selection.
Massillamany said that the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department has been asked to investigate the alleged wrongdoing.
In a statement, the Republican official said that the incident is a reminder that people in power are desperate to hold onto that power. Their motivation in this case is to “thwart the efforts of parents and taxpayers to replace our school boards” with those who reflect community values.
Democrat poll worker ejected for pre-selecting 'straight Dem ticket' on voting machines: report https://t.co/KkYVQG8ZkH
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 6, 2022
On the other side, the Hamilton County Democratic Party called it “desperation and retaliation politics at its worst.”
In a statement, the political organization said that the GOP is merely attempting to “sow last-minute doubt” in election integrity.
Zheng flatly denied the accusations of voters and county Republicans. He claimed willingness to give testimony under oath that he is innocent and was at no time called aside and confronted with the allegations.
The charges possibly faced by the poll worker are serious and alarming. It is not known if there were other instances of voters asking for assistance before having their choices made for them.
