EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Prosecutors are seeking restitution in the case against a woman facing a felony election fraud charge.
Jan Reed, 68, is charged with one count of Unauthorized Absentee Ballot, a Level 6 felony punishable by six months to two-and-a-half years in prison. It can also result in a probationary sentence.
The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office on Thursday filed a restitution claim for $2,740.75 in Circuit Court.
Reed, a Democratic Party activist, was accused in May of illegally sending hundreds of absentee ballot applications with instructions leaving voters no choice but to participate in that party's June 2 primary election.
Elections officials said Reed didn't stop sending the illegal mailings even after being warned by them and by the local Democratic Party to stop.
More: Vanderburgh Democratic activist Reed faces felony election fraud charge
More: Did Janet Reed commit voter fraud? What we know about case involving absentee ballot applications.
A probable cause affidavit filed by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office in support of the charge said Reed apparently would not cooperate with the investigation. The document states, "Janet Reed was contacted and refused to provide an interview regarding her involvement in this case."
The Vanderburgh County Election Board sent a four-page letter to Prosecutor Nicholas Hermann on May 14 outlining the allegations against Reed.
The letter included samples of absentee ballot applications Reed allegedly sent to voters pre-marking for Democrats the section that allows them to choose a party. A copy of Reed's instructions to voters stated that section "needs no input."
According to the probable cause affidavit, Vanderburgh County elections officials and local Democratic Chair Edie Hardcastle had previously notified Reed that her actions violated Indiana law and demanded that she immediately stop.
More: 'Irate' callers inundate Vanderburgh County Clerk's office over ballot dispute
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But postmarks on several of the envelopes containing the applications allegedly indicated Reed continued mailing out the improper applications after being advised to cease, according to the affidavit.
It said: "Several individuals were contacted during the investigation and indicated when they received their applications from Janet Reed the box was checked indicating a choice of Democratic Party and were marked using a yellow highlighting pen. Several of the individuals also indicated they received a letter from Janet Reed explaining the applications were improperly completed along with a new application some of which were also marked improperly."
Hardcastle has said Reed was not working for the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party when she sent the absentee ballot applications. She was working for the campaign of E. Thomasina Marsili, an Owen County Democrat who won the party's nomination to challenge 8th District Republican Congressman Larry Bucshon.
Marsili told the Courier & Press that Reed "is not an employee" of her campaign but did not respond when asked to clarify if Reed was volunteering.
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