Indiana State Police investigate Madison County precinct committeeman for theft of ballots

The Indiana State Police have arrested Larry Savage, a precinct committeeman, following an incident during a public test of the ballot card voting system at the Madison County Government Center on Oct. 3.

The Voting System Technical Oversight Program (VSTOP) is designed to test all the election equipment used in Indiana for an added layer of safety and security. The test requires manual entry of a pre-audit group of ballots marked to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each public question. After the testing process, the ballots used are treated as if they were used on Election Day. Before the ballot card voting system can be used in an election, the machines are required to be tested openly to representatives of political parties, candidates, media, and the public.

During the test, which involved four voting machines and 136 actual candidate ballots marked for testing, officials discovered that two ballots were missing after an initial tabulation. A subsequent investigation revealed videos of Savage folding and placing both ballots in his pocket after receiving instructions about the validity of the test ballots. A judge granted a search warrant that law enforcement executed at Savage’s residence, where officers found the missing ballots in his vehicle.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, Savage turned himself in at the Madison County Jail after an arrest warrant was issued. He was charged with the following:

• Destroying or Misplacing a Ballot, a Level 6 Felony.
• Theft, a Class A Misdemeanor.

The Indiana State Police will continue to investigate this matter to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.