TOPEKA, Kan. – The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating claims of voter fraud six months after the Nov. 3 election.
Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka, asked Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay to look into 12 cases of alleged voter fraud, saying in a Dec. 9 letter that three people listed 6021 S.W. 29th St. and seven people listed 4021 S.W. 10th St. as their residence.
Both locations are UPS stores.
Miller’s letter also said two other people listed businesses as their places of residence.
Kagay told The Capital-Journal he doesn’t investigate allegations of voter fraud or direct law enforcement to do so. He did say he has had conversations about the matter with the sheriff’s office.
The Criminal Investigations Division of the sheriff’s office is investigating cases of voter fraud, said Deputy Abigail Christian, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. Christian said she couldn’t release details about an active investigation.
In his letter, Miller had asked Kagay to respond to him within 90 days but said Kagay hasn’t responded.
“I’m comforted by knowing (an investigation) is happening,” Miller said. “I would have liked to hear back from him to tell me that he had referred it to investigation. That would have been polite.”
Kagay declined a phone interview with The Topeka Capital-Journal but answered questions over email.
“I have never engaged in private communications with an individual while they were the subject of a criminal investigation, or were a defendant in a criminal case,” Kagay said. “It would be inappropriate to do so.”
When asked to explain the comment, Kagay didn’t respond by deadline.
The sheriff’s office previously investigated former U.S. Rep Steve Watkins for voter fraud, which led to Kagay charging Watkins with one felony count each of voting without being qualified, unlawful advance voting and interference with law enforcement by providing false information; and a misdemeanor count of failing to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles of a change of address.
Christian said the sheriff’s office did speak with the Shawnee County Election Office during the “nearly yearlong” investigation into Watkins.
Trying to ‘clean up the list’
Andrew Howell, Shawnee County election commissioner, said he doesn’t recall anyone contacting him or the election office about Miller’s allegation of voter fraud.
Howell said his office doesn’t investigate allegations but can assist local law enforcement in their investigations.
Howell said his office is trying to “clean up the list” and is working with the county counselor’s office to “most fairly, most accurately address that.” There are dozens of ways people can upload addresses on voter registration information, like doing so online or updating it on a paper document.
He said someone using a business or UPS address doesn’t necessarily indicate wrongdoing. Howell said anyone who has evidence of voter fraud should turn it over to local law enforcement.
“There are situations that do occur where people are allowed to use unusual addresses,” Howell said. “It doesn’t on its face alone prove anything.”
