In Lackawanna County, two residents are facing significant legal challenges following allegations of election fraud on Election Day. The case against Michael Sico, 46, and his mother, Kathie Sico, 67, both from Dunmore, is moving forward to county court, according to local reports.
At a preliminary hearing, Magisterial District Judge Joanne Price Corbett decided to advance the charges against Michael Sico. Meanwhile, Kathie Sico chose to forgo a preliminary hearing, opting instead to face her charges directly in court on December 15. Both individuals are currently out on unsecured bail.
The charges they face include fraud by election officers, interference with an election, forging and destroying ballots, and tampering with a public record.
Ballot Manipulation Allegations
Detectives allege that the Sicos manipulated ballots in a write-in campaign to elect Kathie Sico as a judge of elections at the Jackson Heights precinct in Scranton. A county detective’s affidavit revealed that out of 141 valid ballots, 35 had Kathie Sico’s name inserted as a write-in candidate for the positions of judge of elections and/or inspector of elections. Additionally, two of the five discarded ballots had her name written in the same section.
Michael Sico reportedly informed investigators that they were writing in his mother’s name on the ballots because they received requests from individuals to do so.
Admission and Investigation
According to a detective’s affidavit, Kathie Sico admitted during an interview to signing her name on ballots before they were distributed to voters. She noted doing this on two occasions at the request of others, with one instance where another individual subsequently took the ballot.
Additionally, she acknowledged witnessing her son write her name on ballots but was unsure of the total number involved.
District Attorney Brian Gallagher clarified that the alleged tampering did not extend to other election races. Meanwhile, Beth Hopkins, the county elections director, confirmed that Kathie Sico, who had been appointed to fill a vacancy as a judge of elections, will not be reappointed following these events.
