A Republican election official who previously ran for Congress is accused of trying to steal extra ballots in Indiana, authorities said.
Larry Savage, 51, was arrested Tuesday in Madison County. His actions were captured on surveillance video, according to police, but Savage still claimed he was innocent.
Savage attended a public test of voting machines in his county on Oct. 3 as a precinct committeeman. There, officials passed out sample ballots to run through the machines to prove they worked, the Indianapolis Star reported. Though the ballots were “test” or “sample” ballots, they could be used in real elections.
“They are live ballots. They are live election ballots,” the woman running the event said. The ballots also read, “IT IS A CRIME TO FALSIFY THIS BALLOT OR VIOLATE INDIANA ELECTION LAWS,” according to local Fox affiliate WXIN.
Cops said Savage snagged two of the ballots, folded them up and put them in his pocket, according to the Indy Star. One was a straight Republican ballot, while the other was blank.
Indiana State Police found the ballots in Savage’s car on the evening of Oct. 3 after election officials realized multiple ballots were missing from the test, local TV station WISH reported.
Despite the plethora of available information, Savage claimed in interviews with police that he thought he could walk out with the ballots, according to the Indy Star.
Savage was charged with theft and destroying or misplacing a ballot. He posted $500 bail and was released Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison.
Savage previously ran in the Republican primary for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, losing to incumbent Victoria Spartz.
