A former Phoenix mayoral candidate finds himself on probation after a string of illegal voter registrations. Tim Seay, who vied for the mayor's seat in 2020, was accused of nefariously registering former felons, bypassing the required court process to restore their voting rights. Yesterday, Seay was handed down a three-year probation sentence for computer tampering, avoiding jail time for now, according to ABC15.
Seay's actions came to light after multiple complaints led to an investigation, which discovered he accessed a state government website a thousand times from the same IP address. "He took my trust for granted and used my information illegally," Tammie Ryder, one of Seay's victims, said in court as reported by ABC15. In an attempt to clarify his intent, Seay stated, "Prosecutors say I did it to boost my ego or boost whatever I needed to boost. That's not true... I've never wronged, cheated, or defrauded anyone."
Despite Seay's supporters portraying him in court as a "pillar of the community," the judge underscored the risk his actions posed to the victims, potentially sending them back to prison. The case also raised concerns about the integrity of the voting system. Defense attorney Steve Johnson attributed the mishap to the operation growing "too big, too quick," another detail reported by ABC15. Seay's guilty plea led to a sentence that includes community service, the specter of jail time, and disenfranchisement on his own part due to the felony conviction.
The fallout from the Seay debacle triggered legislative action in Arizona, leading to improved processes for felons’ rights restoration after serving their sentences. "It makes me feel good my voice was heard; our voice was heard," a relieved Ryder expressed after the sentencing. Simultaneously, victims of Seay's scheme, like Christina Calabrese, who trusted him to navigate the complex path of rights restoration, felt duped. "He told me that I owed restitution but that he talked to them and not to worry because his foundation would make them an offer to settle it," Calabrese recounted in a conversation with ABC15. Such testimonies have highlighted the vulnerability of those seeking a second chance in society.
While the spread of false voter registration is a Class 6 felony, Seay's insistence on his innocence remains unchanged. "I didn't illegally register anyone to vote," Seay asserted in an interview with ABC15. In the wake of the verdict, former felons registered without proper clearance are urged to cancel their voter registrations immediately to avoid potential legal repercussions.
