Arrests Made in Phoenix City for Illegal Voting

Two women from Phoenix City were taken into custody after being accused of casting illegal votes in the local government elections held on August 26. Their arrests are linked to dubious absentee ballot applications.

The Phoenix City Police Department has initiated an investigation following reports from the city’s clerk’s office about several suspicious absentee applications. Detectives are uncovering evidence that suggests a scheme involving illegal ballot harvesting.

Talia Jenkins Hardin and Valerie Carter have been named as suspects in this case. Both women reportedly stated that they were volunteering for Jammer Gales, a candidate running for the city council in the district where these incidents occurred.

While Alabama’s city council elections are technically nonpartisan, records show that both women are registered Democrats. Hardin, 54, has a history of voting Democratic since 2018, participating in the primary elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Similarly, 53-year-old Carter has also been voting for Democrats during the same election cycles.

Following discussions with the Alabama Secretary’s Office and the Russell County District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement made the arrests. Both women now face multiple charges associated with absentee voting violations.

This action comes in the wake of Alabama enforcing stricter regulations on ballot harvesting. In 2024, lawmakers passed SB1, which criminalizes the payment of a third party to handle absentee ballot applications or votes.

Wes Allen, the state’s Secretary of State and chief election officer, has emphasized that this crackdown aims to safeguard the absentee voting process and reflects the state’s commitment to election integrity.

An ongoing investigation is focusing on the alleged actions of Hardin and Carter.