Atlantic City Political Organizer Sent In Fraudulent Ballots: Feds

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — A political organizer and former president of Atlantic City Council has been charged with voter fraud in a scheme that involved obtaining mail-in ballots and sending them in without the voter's knowledge.

Craig Callaway, 64, who worked with campaigns for elected offices in New Jersey, was charged with one count of depriving, defrauding, and attempting to deprive and defraud the residents of the state of New Jersey of a fair and impartially conducted election process by the fraudulent procurement, casting, and tabulation of ballots, according to the U.S. District Attorney's Office.

"Holding free and fair elections is a bedrock principle of our democracy," said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger. "As alleged in the complaint, the defendant attempted to deprive New Jersey residents of a fair election by fraudulently procuring and casting ballots. Today's charges reflect our office's commitment to hold to account those who try to undermine the electoral process."

According to documents, Callaway and people working for him approached numerous people in Atlantic City, promising to pay them $30 to $50 to act as purported authorized messengers for voters who supposedly wished to vote by mail, about one month before the November 2022 election.

These messengers went to the Atlantic County Clerk's Office with anywhere from one to four completed mail-in ballot applications, providing the clerk with proof of identification and signing the authorized messenger portion before handing those signed applications to office personnel, according to federal officials. The purported messengers waited while office personnel processed the applications and, if the applications were approved, provided to the purported messengers mail-in ballots for the voters listed on the applications.

The ballots, under New Jersey law, are supposed to go directly to the voter who requested them. However, the messengers instead delivered them to Callaway or his subordinates, federal officials said.

Many of these mail-in ballots were ultimately cast in the names of people who have confirmed that they did not vote in the 2022 General Election – either in person or by submitting a mail-in ballot – and that they did not authorize Callaway, his subordinates, or anyone else, to cast ballots for them, federal officials said. Many of these mail-in ballots were counted towards in the election.

It appears that Callaway was working for Rep. Jeff Van Drew's campaign at the time, however; there is no indication that Van Drew was aware of Callaway's actions.

"Voter fraud at any level chips away at the faith people have in our system," FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. "We're unable as American citizens to hold our government accountable if our votes are compromised. The FBI and our law enforcement partners understand the gravity of protecting the process and will bring those criminals who break the law to justice."

Callaway previously was sentenced to 40 months in state prison on bribery charges during his time as an Atlantic City councilman. While waiting to report for prison, he orchestrated a sex sting against a political rival, fellow Councilman Eugene Robinson, according to the Associated Press. This led to a three-year prison stint for Callaway.