GOP Worker Arrested for Tossing Registrations

By Andrew Lu on October 22, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A "supervisor" in a Republican Party financed operation to register voters in Virginia has been arrested for voter fraud after allegedly throwing out voter registration forms into the dumpster.

A local small business owner reportedly saw the suspect, 31-year-old Colin Small, tossing a bag into the trash at the shopping center where the local GOP headquarters is located, reports NBC. The bag was later found to contain eight voter registration forms.

While throwing out eight registration forms may not seem like a lot, Small has been charged with eight felony counts and four misdemeanors under Virginia voter fraud laws and one misdemeanor count of obstruction of justice, writes NBC.

It's not clear why Small decided to throw out the registration forms. Voters in Virginia do not register by party so there is no way to know whether the registration forms were from Democratic or Republican voters, reports NBC. So for all Small knew, he could have been throwing out eight Republican forms.

A reason for his action may be that the forms were incomplete, as there are penalties under Virginia law for not submitting completed registration forms within 15 days after they are signed.

So far, there is no indication that Small's actions were not an isolated incident. However, there has been some ongoing controversy with Republicans and their voter registration efforts. In Florida, another GOP operative was fired following reports that its workers had submitted hundreds of suspicious voter registration forms. And Democrats have attacked Republicans for suppressing certain voters.

The United States is a country based on democracy and the right of every citizen to have a vote. So if you are wondering why Small faces eight felony counts for what seems like a relatively innocuous crime, the reason may be that his crime threatens the very fabric upon which this nation is built upon.

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