A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was arrested for discarding nearly 100 general election ballots in New Jersey.
The ballots were thrown away along with 627 pieces of first-class, 873 pieces of standard-class, two pieces of certified mail, and 276 campaign flyers from local candidates.
The carrier, 26-year-old Nicholas Beauchene is charged with one count of delay, secretion, or detention of mail and one count of obstruction of mail, crimes punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine and a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine, respectively.
While Beauchene’s intentions remain unknown, the arrest is a testament to the downsides of universal mail-in voting.
