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Mail Carrier Charged After Discarding Ballots in Utah Election

By Drooid · · How we work

Core Event

A Utah mail carrier identified only as “Seei” has been indicted in the U.S. Court filings allege that Seei threw away a load of election-related mail, including ballots, after becoming “overwhelmed” by the volume of deliveries on the day in question. Law-enforcement records state that Seei set aside the ballots at the start of his shift, placed them in a dumpster within roughly 90 minutes, and did not deliver any of them before ending his six-hour workday at 3:15 p.m.

Legal Allegations and Defendant’s Explanation

According to the indictment, Seei admitted in a written statement that the load felt “heavier” than usual and that he chose to discard “advertisement mail” to focus on other deliveries, without realizing the items were ballots. He denied any political motive, describing himself as “not a very political person” and characterizing his actions as a “poor decision” driven by “frustration” and “laziness.” The charge reflects federal statutes that protect the integrity of mail-in voting materials.

Law-Enforcement Findings

Investigators reported that Seei left the route early, after only six hours of work, and that the discarded ballots prevented a number of voters from receiving their voting materials. The officials’ account emphasizes that the ballots were never delivered and were disposed of in a dumpster, directly linking Seei’s actions to voter disenfranchisement.

Impact on the Election Process

The incident illustrates how a single carrier’s mishandling of mail can disrupt ballot delivery, potentially affecting voter participation in the affected precincts. While the exact number of voters impacted is not specified in the court documents, the case underscores the importance of safeguards for mail-in ballots and the legal consequences for violations of federal mail-handling statutes.