Politics
Washington Woman Charged With Filling Out Multiple Fraudulent Ballots In 2024 Election
A 52-year-old woman in Pasco, Washington has been charged with multiple felony counts relating to alleged voter fraud during the 2024 general election.
Esperanza Contreras, an apartment building manager, is accused of intercepting mail-in ballots intended for former tenants. She then allegedly completed them without authorization, forged signatures, and submitted them to election officials.
The incident came to light through routine election integrity checks and has led to an ongoing investigation by local authorities, officials said.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) began investigating in October 2025 after being notified by the prosecuting attorney about an irregular ballot that was counted in Franklin County, according to a report from local outlet KNDO.
The irregularity stemmed from a voter who had relocated from Pasco to Hermiston, Oregon, and properly registered to vote in her new state. However, a Washington ballot was mailed to her former Pasco address, filled out, and processed without her knowledge.
This prompted further scrutiny, revealing three additional suspicious ballots sent to the same apartment complex, all addressed to former tenants who had moved out.
As the apartment manager, Contreras had access to incoming mail for the building. Investigators determined that she collected the four ballots instead of returning them to the sender or notifying the former tenants. She then allegedly filled out the ballots herself, signed the envelopes with forged signatures, and mailed them to the Franklin County Auditor’s Office.
Of the four ballots, three were accepted and counted in the election, while the fourth was rejected due to a signature mismatch detected during verification. Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton confirmed that at least two ballots were counted, with a third rejected, and noted that Contreras ultimately returned three ballots.
The initial tip came from the Washington Secretary of State’s office, which flagged the double-voting attempt involving the Oregon resident, local ABC affiliate KATU reported.
During questioning by FCSO detectives, Contreras admitted to completing all four ballots and forging the signatures, officials said. She stated that she believed she was assisting the former tenants by handling their ballots.
Authorities emphasized that none of the 2024 election results in Franklin County were decided by four votes or fewer, so the fraudulent ballots did not alter any outcomes.
Contreras was arrested and booked into the Franklin County Jail on January 8. She was initially slapped with 12 felony charges, including first-degree identity theft, forgery, and second-degree theft. These were later amended to four felony counts specifically for voter fraud.
“Voter fraud undermines the integrity of the electoral process and erodes public confidence in the fairness of elections. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office takes violations of election law seriously and remains committed to thoroughly investigating and pursuing election related violations.”
The FCSO has encouraged anyone with additional information, including knowledge of other potential ballots handled by Contreras, to contact relevant authorities.
