Cops: Man Absconds With Voting Equipment

Apparently, he'd rather spend the day as a hired driver than an election judge
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 4, 2015 4:44 PM CST
Cops: Man Absconds With Voting Equipment
Darrin Farmer   (Allegheny County Sheriff's Office)

A Pennsylvania man was arrested Tuesday when he allegedly decided to skip out on his duties as an election judge and instead earn some extra cash by giving people rides, the AP reports. According to WTAE, 55-year-old Darrin Farmer was paid at least $125 to set up voting equipment and oversee voting on Election Day at the North Versailles Township Senior Center polling place. Instead, he allegedly dropped his wife at Walmart to get drinks for volunteers and took off.

WTAE reports the Allegheny County sheriff's office arrested Farmer later that day. He was driving his wife's car and had two passengers who claimed they paid Farmer to give them a ride. Also inside the car, according to the sheriff's office: ballots, lists of registered voters, and other voting equipment. The AP reports Farmer's polling place had to open three hours late because those materials weren't there. Farmer has been charged with tampering with public records and obstructing a government function. According to CBS Pittsburgh, he was also arrested in 2011 on suspicion of impersonating a police officer and sexually assaulting a woman. (More weird crimes stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X