Marlborough City Council candidate pleads not guilty in voter fraud case; allegedly submitted absentee voter application for dead man
A former candidate for Marlborough City Council was arraigned today on voter fraud charges for allegedly handing in an absentee ballot application at City Hall for a man who had died earlier in the year, Middlesex County prosecutors said today.
Mark Evangelous, 51, 0f Marlborough faces charges of forgery, uttering, and violating absentee voting laws, District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr.’s office said.
It doesn’t say so in the Globe article (I wonder why), but Evangelous is a prominent Republican in the town. Oddly, he doesn’t seem to have videotaped himself committing voter fraud. Also not known is whether he’s on the Marlborough Republican Town Committee.
Please share widely!
VoterId?
Probably not.
Are you doing something funky with whatever browser you’re using?
Your comments are being scrambled by the site.
…after 30 years as a Democrat, including 8 years as a Democratic City Councilor, and at least 2-time Democratic State Convention Delegate, (that I’m aware of, probably more, you guys do have yearly Conventions) Mark changed his registration in 2008 to Republican, and joined the City Committee. He came to one meeting. Total. In 4 years.
BTW, in 2009, the Democratic City Committee Chairman (at that point for 30 years) Tom Hill tried to vote twice during the municipal election. He even bragged about it. Oddly, he decided to step down shortly thereafter. Funny, didn’t make the papers, even though the City Clerk (as she did here) informed the proper authorities.
If Mark is found guilty, he should be punish to the full extent of the law. And if he’s found innocent, I’m sure BMG will quickly post a front-page diary exonerating him.
Events like this is just one reason why all five Republicans on the City Council in 2010 supported a Voter ID law in Marlborough.
While he was a Democrat for 59% of it. 91% of his voting-age life.
Was Evangelous on the Presidential primary ballot in 2008? If so, how did he get there? Did the City Committee list him on its nominating petition or did he file his own petition? Did you sign a petition nominating him?
Did you vote for him?
If he wasn’t on the ballot, did he gain membership on your committee by vote of a meeting? Did your bylaws permit making him a full voting member? Is that what you did? How did you vote in the meeting that elected him, if he was elected outside the primary ballot?
It would obviously be better for Republicans to police themselves on vote fraud – personal responsibility, you know.
At this point, you might be saying, “Oops. I should have kept my mouth shut.”
I honestly don’t recall if he was on the ballot. Mark lives in Ward Five, whereas I live in Ward Two. Ward Five was actually one of two that I didn’t personally do the majority of the rganization paperwork for. I seem to recall he joined after, but I honestly don’t recall if the Ward Five Chairman had him on the ballot, or added him later.
Usually, my goal is to get 3 “core” people in each Ward, and add folks after that. Ward Five has the second most members (which, those of you who know Marlborough will enjoy the irony of). Mark and his wife are currently members (as I noted above).
Second part of your question, since I don’t live in Ward Five, I did not vote for him on the Primary Ballot in 2008, and wouldn’t have had a vote on adding him to the Ward Five GOP Committee later.
Mark is not on the Ballot in Ward 5 for the GOP this year, and based on my conversations with other committee members, we’re waiting to see the outcome of the his case before taking action on adding him back onto the committee (and that presumes he wants to join) after we re-organize next month.
Thank you for a direct and substantive answer.
What is “uttering” in the context of his charges?
I think it means that he verbally told whoever was handling his paperwork that he was the person who was dead at the time, as well as submitting paperwork that is alleged to be fraudulent.
Something like the difference between slander and libel — one verbal, one written. I could be wrong, though.
“Uttering” is the passing or making use of a forged or fraudulent writing or document. For example, knowingly bouncing a check.
Wikipedia on the subject…
What I really want to know is who was he attempting to vote for, how many other similarly fraudulent absentee ballots might there be, and what is there any evidence that Evangelous has submitted other fraudulent absentee ballots in other elections?
Was this something he did all by himself (in which case it seems to be incredibly stupid and even self-destructive), or was this something he did in connection with some group or organization?