Secretary of State Wes Allen says indictments send message to election criminals: “We are serious about election integrity”
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Wes Allen, Alabama’s secretary of state, says that the arrest and indictment of Terry Heflin of Clay County for felony absentee ballot fraud sends the message that we are serious about election integrity.
“I have been traveling this state and talking about absentee ballot application fraud and absentee ballot election fraud for years. I have been clear from day one that I take election fraud seriously, and I was not kidding. When my office was made aware of what was happening in Clay County, we immediately referred the case to Attorney General Marshall for criminal prosecution,” explained Secretary Allen. “Let this case of felony voter fraud be a signal to all those contemplating breaking Alabama election law that it will not be tolerated in this state. We will find you, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Terry Heflin of Clay County has been charged with seven felony counts of absentee ballot fraud. If convicted, Heflin could face several years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
“Alabama law provides strong protections for our elections and imposes penalties on those who violate the law. We will continue to refer cases of election fraud to the attorney general for criminal prosecution,” said Allen.
Allen thanks the staff of the Secretary of State’s office, the Alabama Attorney General’s office and the local law enforcement in Clay County for their work to investigate and prosecute this case of election fraud.
“All parties involved did an excellent job preparing and securing a felony election fraud indictment,” said Allen. “Because of the work of our team at the Secretary of State’s office, Attorney General Marshall’s team and the local law enforcement in Clay County, Alabama elections are safer and more secure.”
Wes Allen is Alabama’s fifty-fourth secretary of state. The secretary of state is Alabama’s chief elections official. Additionally, Alabama law gives the secretary of state more than 1,000 different duties. To learn more about the secretary of state and his responsibilities and duties visit www.sos.alabama.gov.