Politics & Government

Election Fraud Conviction in Petition Forgery Case

Mark Demet wrote his neighbors signatures on a petition to recall then state Sen. Van Wanggaard and has now been found guilty of election fraud.

A Racine man was found guilty of two counts of election fraud after he falsely wrote in signatures on a petition to recall former state Sen. Van Wanggaard.

by the Racine County District Attorney's Office last year with two felony counts of election fraud/nomination certification and seven felony counts of misappropriating identifying information for financial gain. One of those signatures was from a deceased person.

The seven counts of misappropriating identifying information for financial gain were dismissed, according to court records.

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According to the criminal complaint, Demet admitted that he circulated the petition and signed the names of seven people on the petition. Investigators spoke to six of the people whose names appeared on the list to verify that they had not signed the petition.

Demet is expected to be sentenced on June 7.

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