A West Virginia mail carrier has been charged with attempted election fraud after eight mail-in absentee request forms appeared to have been altered.
Thomas Cooper, 47, was charged Tuesday with "Attempt to Defraud the Residents of West Virginia of a Fair Election," according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of West Virginia.
"In April 2020, the Clerk of Pendleton County received '2020 Primary Election COVID-19 Mail-In Absentee Request' forms from eight voters on which the voter's party-ballot request appeared to have been altered," according to the release.
The West Virginia Secretary of State's office found five of the ballot requests were changed from "Democrat" to "Republican." Three other requests also had been altered, though the party had not been changed.
Cooper admitted to altering the ballot requests, but said he did it only as a joke.
He was responsible for delivering mail in three towns in Pendleton County: Onego, Franklin and Riverton.