A Michigan election worker is facing two felony charges of using a thumb drive to access an election computer system illegally last month.
James Holkeboer has been charged with using a computer to commit a crime and falsifying election records for the incident, which took place during the Aug. 2 primary in Kent County, Michigan. He faces up to nine years behind bars if convicted. Officials stressed that his actions did not affect the election outcome.
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“This incident is extremely egregious and incredibly alarming,” Kent County clerk Lisa Lyons said in a statement. “The breach of the Electronic Poll Book could not — and did not allow any access to voting machines, ballots, or election results, and it could not have affected the outcome of the election itself.”
My statement regarding illegal election activity in August Primary Election.
“Let me be very clear: voter fraud & illegal election activity in Kent County will not be tolerated…we will take aggressive action to protect our elections and hold those responsible accountable.” pic.twitter.com/jGAuILz2tE
— Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Kent County Clerk/Register (@KentCountyClerk) September 28, 2022
Holkeboer was spotted plugging a thumb drive into the Electronic Poll Book computer that administered the election and held sensitive data about voters, Reuters reported. The alleged breach took place after polls closed. Lyons stressed that the computer system was not connected to the internet of tally equipment.
Officials quickly opened an inquiry into the matter, and the county’s prosecutor Chris Becker opted to bring charges against Holkeboer. To ease any possible concerns about the election, the county will conduct a tabulation of paper ballots to verify the election results.
“My office intends to conduct a post-election audit of the precinct, complete with a tally of the paper ballots to reaffirm the results and reassure the voters. As an added measure, the Electronic Poll Book that was breached will no longer be used in future elections and will be replaced by a new one prior to the November election,” Lyons added.
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Michigan’s elections have been subject to scrutiny from Trump supporters. Allies of former President Donald Trump have peddled disputed claims that election fraud deprived him of victory in the Great Lakes State during the 2020 election.
Recently, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel opened an investigation into election-related breaches in the state following the 2020 election, Reuters reported. Her political opponent in the midterm elections, Republican Matt DePerno, is facing possible charges in the matter, so she deferred the matter to a special prosecutor, according to the report.
