The Justice Department has unsealed charges against a former U.S. Postal Service employee accused of disposing of nearly 300 mail-in ballots in Utah, an incident that has drawn renewed attention to the security of absentee voting.
Damon Matai Seei, 34, of Payson, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury last Wednesday on a single count of unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail. According to court records, Seei allegedly tossed the ballots into a dumpster behind a church while delivering mail on June 3, before the state's June 23 primary election.
Seei, who worked as a letter carrier earlier this year, was arrested and arraigned Tuesday afternoon at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. Courthouse. The indictment was unsealed the same day.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter emphasized the seriousness of the alleged offense, stating, "When American voters lawfully cast their vote, they should feel confident that it is counted. Allegedly throwing away hundreds of ballots is a serious federal crime that undermines the integrity of our elections. Ballot integrity is not a partisan issue."
The DOJ's detention memo alleges that Seei admitted to discarding the mail "to lighten his workload," hoping to return home earlier. As a result, many voters in Eagle Mountain never received their ballots, and some were unable to participate in the primary.
Prosecutors are requesting Seei's release under conditions including regular check-ins with a pretrial officer, maintaining employment, surrendering his passport, and refraining from any interference with mail delivery, particularly mail-in ballots.
The incident comes amid shifting voter preferences, with fewer Americans planning to vote by mail and more opting for in-person voting. An NBC News poll released Sunday found that among registered Democrats, 36% intend to vote early in person and another 36% on Election Day. Among independents, 28% plan early in-person voting and 37% on Election Day, while 26% of Republicans say they will vote early in person and 53% on Election Day.
Pollsters attribute part of this shift to former President Trump's baseless claims about mail-in voting fraud and his attacks on the postal system, which have influenced some voters' decisions. The Justice Department's action underscores ongoing concerns about election security as the midterms approach.
