A Massachusetts couple has been charged with casting illegal ballots in New Hampshire despite living outside the state, according to authorities.
Joshua Urovitch, 56, and his wife Lisa Urovitch, 54, have been charged with multiple class B felony counts of wrongful voting. The charges, announced by New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella last week, allege that despite living in Massachusetts, they voted in several New Hampshire elections.
The couple is accused of voting in three separate elections, including the U.S. general elections on November 3, 2020, and November 8, 2022, as well as the Concord School District election held on the same day in 2022. According to the indictments, the two were residing in Ashland, Massachusetts, at the time of these votes.
According to a Concord Monitor report citing city property records, Lisa Urovitch has owned a three-bedroom home in Concord, New Hampshire, since 2007.
Prosecutors have not released detailed information on the couple’s motives or how the alleged fraud was uncovered. One of the accused’s attorneys has yet to respond to media inquiries, and it remains unclear if the other individual has legal representation.
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“The charges against Lisa and Joshua Urovitch are only allegations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty,” Formella’s office said.
Both are set to be arraigned in Merrimack County Superior Court next Monday, according to Formella. If convicted, they could face significant penalties under New Hampshire’s election laws.
Newsweek reached out to Formella’s office via email on Wednesday for comment.
The case comes as New Hampshire has made a broader push to combat voter in the state, including the recent signing of a new voter ID law that requires proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and photo identification at the polls.
Currently, New Hampshire voters without photo identification can sign an affidavit affirming their identity and are required to provide documentation within seven days. However, the new law eliminates these exceptions and mandates citizenship proof, such as a passport or birth certificate, at the time of voter registration.
However, just weeks after Republican New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu recently signed the bill, which is set to take effect following the November elections, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging the state’s new voter ID law.
The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU of New Hampshire on behalf of the Coalition for Open Democracy, the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, the Forward Foundation and five voters, aims to block the state law claiming that the law imposes some of the most restrictive voting measures in the country and threatens to disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters.
The legal action names Formella and Secretary of State David Scanlan as defendants, and the suit argues that such laws are unconstitutional.
Liz Tentarelli, president of the League of Women Voters New Hampshire, condemned the law, stating that it “creates confusion, raises doubts for voters, and leaves them feeling hampered by the process.”
“Instead of creating unnecessary barriers to voters, we need our elected officials to advance meaningful legislation that ensures New Hampshire voters can make their voices heard,” Tentarelli added.
However, Sununu, a vocal supporter of the law, defended the legislation as a step toward preserving the integrity of the state’s election process, claiming it would enhance trust in future elections.
“We have a proud tradition and proven track record of condition elections that are trusted and true,” Sununu said when he signed the bill on September 12. “Looking forward to the next decade or two, this legislation will instill even more integrity and trust in the voting process.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
