A West Virginia postal worker was charged with attempted election fraud after prosecutors found he amended party preferences on mail-ballot applications in favour of the Republicans.
Thomas Cooper delivered the forms last month to the Pendleton County clerk from eight voters, US Attorney Bill Powell said in a statement on Tuesday.
The criminal complaint against Mr Cooper alleges that he delivered eight forms requesting an absentee ballot in November to the Pendleton County Courthouse last month that appeared to have had the voters' party-ballot requests altered.
Five of the ballot requests were changed from Democrat to Republican with a black ink pen, said a federal affidavit after an investigation by the secretary of state's office.
Three other applications had their preferences altered, but not the political preference.
“We want everyone to be tuned into the increased opportunities for fraud," said West Virginia’s secretary of state Mac Warner.
He added: "Voting absentee makes it easy to vote, but increases opportunities for irregularities and fraud to occur. If you see something, say something.”
Absentee ballot applications were mailed to all registered voters in West Virginia last month in a bid to encourage mail voting in November’s presidential election amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Investigator Bennie Cogar said that Mr Warner’s office was contacted when the county clerk noticed ballot applications from people she believed were not Republicans.
Mr Cooper, aged 47, admitted to Mr Cogar and a postal inspector that he amended some applications collected at the Onega post office from Democrat to Republican, according to an affidavit.
Mr Cooper added that his actions were a “joke” and that he did not know the voters concerned.
It comes as Twitter informed users on Tuesday night that Donald Trump’s comments on mail ballots contained incorrect information.
The president maintains that mail ballots are “fraudulent” despite studies suggesting otherwise.
Mr Trump has also threatened to withdraw funding from states who move ahead with plans to introduce mail-in ballots in November, and commented that Republicans would lose when everyone had access to mail ballots.
