Two New Jersey politicians have been arrested and charged with voter fraud in connection with a May 12 special election in New Jersey.
NJ.com has reported, Paterson Councilman Michael Jackson, Council-Elect Alex Mendez and two other men have been charged with voter fraud.
Jackson and Mendez received charges associated with sending mail-in votes, unauthorized possession of ballots, tampering with public records, and falsifying public records.
Two other people were also charged with voter fraud.
"Today's charges send a clear message: If you try to tamper with an election in New Jersey, we will find you, and we will hold you accountable," New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement Thursday. "We will not allow a small number of criminals to undermine the public's confidence in our democratic process."
The accusations against Mendez and Jackson claim the two men delivered mail-in ballots without proper authorization as the bearer.
Mendez is also accused of allegedly taking and submitting at least one voter registration for a person he knew was not eligible to vote.
“While it's gravely disappointing to see another episode of potential corruption in Paterson, I remain hopeful that this is the final chapter in what unfortunately has plagued our city for generations," Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said in a statement.