At least four people have reported receiving calls that gave false information on absentee voting, according to Kosciusko County Clerk of Courts Jason McSherry.
The unsolicited phone calls, from a Gary-area number, instruct people not to order absentee ballots but to wait for them to be sent by mail. In fact, absentee ballots can only be obtained by requesting them from the county clerk’s office.
“Part of the scam is that they pretend to be someone from the clerk’s office,” McSherry said. “But we send notices by mail, we don’t call voters.”
The deadline for requesting absentee ballots is Oct. 29 at 11:59 p.m. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 6 and received within 10 days of the election for military personnel and those overseas, and returned by Nov. 6 for everyone else.
Terry Bartley, chair of the Kosciusko County Democrats, said Friday he has heard from three residents who received the calls, which came from 219-697-3684 and identified themselves as a company called Marketing Research. He presumed the residents were registered Democrats since they contacted him.
McSherry said Monday he learned of a fourth call, and that more phone numbers have been used. He said he notified the county prosecutor’s office and has talked with county sheriff’s department detectives, who are trying to trace the numbers.
He remarked that he has not seen this kind of scam before, and said both registered Republicans and Democrats have been targeted.
Randy Girod, chair of Kosciusko County Republicans, said he is aware of the scam but that no one has contacted him directly about receiving a call.
McSherry also noted that 733 absentee ballots have been requested in the county so far this year, almost halfway to the total 1,635 requested in 2008.
