Camano Island woman convicted of voter fraud

Susan M. Risenhoover, 43, of Camano Island, pled guilty last Monday for violating unqualified person voting, a felony.

She mailed in a ballot in last November's presidential election when she was not a registered voter.

She filled out her registered voter son's ballot, falsely signed the voter's affidavit using his name and then sent it to the Island County Auditor's Office to be counted. The Auditor's staff compared the signature with the voter's registration signature and noted that they did not match.

The auditor's staff tried to contact Risenhoover's son, to verify the signature, and correct his voter registration. The signature question was still unresolved when the Island County Canvassing Board prepared to certify the election, so it rejected the ballot and it was not counted.

The auditor then referred the matter to the prosecutor, who, after a preliminary investigation, forwarded it to the Sheriff for a complete investigation.

Risenhoover admitted to police that she had filled out her son's ballot and forged his signature on the ballot envelope affidavit. Her son had moved to Texas last June and Risenhoover saw using his ballot as an opportunity for her to vote even though she was not a registered voter.

Risenhoover had no prior criminal record and was given a five-day jail sentence. The maximum sentence that can be imposed for that class of crime is five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.

Because she cares for her disabled daughter, Risenhoover's five day jail sentence was converted to 40 hours of community service, which she completed at the Stanwood-Camano Food Bank.

Additionally, she is required to pay $1,217 in court costs and fees. As a convicted felon, she will be ineligible to register to vote until a judge restores her rights.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Colleen Kenimond prosecuted the case.

"This is a good reminder to people that regardless of the ballots that come to their house in the mail, they can only lawfully complete their own ballot and sign their own name. Violations are felonies and will be prosecuted," Kenimond said.

Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks complimented the auditor and the sheriff for seeing this case through.

If not for the diligence of the elections staff in comparing signatures on every ballot that is cast, and the sheriff's office devotion of resources to these investigations, election cheats would go undetected.

"Let's face it, these aren't the sexiest cases. But when elections are decided by a handful of votes, we must have the highest confidence that the process was fair and legal," Banks said.