House and Senate candidates on ballot); United States v. Daugherty,
952 F.2d 969, 970 (8th Cir. 1991) (payments to vote for several
local candidates); United States v. Odom, 858 F.2d 664, 665–66 (11th
Cir. 1988) (payments to vote for state representative); United States v.
Campbell, 845 F.2d 782, 784 (8th Cir. 1988); (payments to benefit a
candidate for county judge); Garcia, 719 F.2d at 100 (food stamps to
vote for candidate for county judge); Malmay, 671 F.2d at 870
(payments to vote for school board member); Carmichael, 685 F.2d
at 905 (payments for sheriff).
(d) Conspiracy to cause illegal voting
The second clause of Section 10307(c) criminalizes
conspiracies to encourage “illegal voting.” 20 The phrase “illegal
voting” is not defined in the statute. On its face it encompasses
unlawful conduct in connection with voting. It has potential
application to those who undertake to cause others to register or vote in
conscious derogation of state or federal laws. Cianciulli, 482 F.Supp.
at 616 (noting that this clause would prohibit “vot[ing] illegally in an
improper election district”). For example, all states require voters to
be United States citizens, and most states disenfranchise people who
have been convicted of certain crimes, who are mentally incompetent,
or who possess other disabilities that may warrant restriction of the
right to vote. This provision requires that the voters participate in the
conspiracy. 21
The conspiracy provision of Section 10307(c) applies only to
the statute’s “illegal voting” clause. Olinger, 759 F.2d at 1298–1300.
Conspiracies arising under the other clauses of Section 10307(c) (i.e.,
those involving vote- buying or fraudulent registration) should be
charged under the general federal conspiracy statute, 18 U.S.C. § 371.
20
Violations of this provision are felonies.
False statements involving any fact that is material to registering or voting
under state law may also be prosecuted under 52 U.S.C. § 20511, as will be discussed
in Part D.7 of this chapter.
21
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