Arrests Announced for Absentee Ballot Fraud in Ft. Deposit Municipal Election
Summary
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the arrest of Jacqulyn Boone, 51, and Steven Thigpen, 49, on charges of unlawful use of absentee ballots, a Class C felony under Alabama law. Both were previously elected in the August 2025 Ft. Deposit municipal election—Boone as mayor and Thigpen for city council. The election was subsequently set aside due to voting irregularities, and a special election was held in January 2026.
What changed
Alabama Attorney General announced the arrest of two Lowndes County residents—former Mayor Jacqulyn Boone and city council candidate Steven Thigpen—on Class C felony charges of unlawful use of absentee ballots in the August 2025 Ft. Deposit municipal election. The election was set aside due to voting irregularities, leading to a special election in January 2026. The Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Division is prosecuting the case.\n\nAs public officials and candidates, these arrests signal heightened enforcement of electoral integrity in municipal elections. Political candidates and election administrators should anticipate increased scrutiny of absentee ballot procedures. The stated penalty range of 1 year and 1 day to 10 years imprisonment underscores the seriousness with which Alabama treats absentee ballot fraud, serving as a deterrent against electoral misconduct.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates on the ongoing investigation
- Await trial proceedings
Penalties
Class C felony punishable by 1 year and 1 day to 10 years imprisonment under Alabama law
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Attorney General Steve Marshall announces arrests for absentee ballot fraud in Ft. Deposit municipal election
View PDF For Immediate Release:
April 15, 2026
For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
William Califf (334) 604-3230
(Hayneville, Ala) – Attorney General Steve Marshall today announced the arrest of two Lowndes County residents on charges related to the unlawful use of absentee ballots in the August 2025 Ft. Deposit, Ala municipal election.
Jacqulyn Boone, 51, and Steven Thigpen, 49, were each charged with unlawful use of absentee ballots, a Class C felony under Alabama law. Boone previously served as mayor of Ft. Deposit, and Thigpen was a candidate for the Ft. Deposit City Council. Both were declared winners in the August 2025 election.
The election was later set aside due to voting irregularities, and a special election was held in January 2026.
Under Alabama law, unlawful use of absentee ballots is punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison.
The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division is prosecuting the case. Due to the ongoing investigation, no additional details are being released at this time.
*An arrest is not a conviction. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. -30-
Recent News
Attorney General Steve Marshall announces arrests for absentee ballot fraud in Ft. Deposit municipal election
April 15, 2026
Attorney General Steve Marshall Announces Indictment of Former International Motor Sports Hall of Fame Bookkeeper
April 10, 2026
Attorney General Steve Marshall Successfully Defends Convictions in Two Early-2000s Triple-Homicide Cases
April 9, 2026
Attorney General Marshall Announces Court Decision to Uphold 2005 Triple Murder Conviction in Jefferson County
April 8, 2026
Attorney General Steve Marshall Announces Indictment of Former International Motor Sports Hall of Fame Executive Director
April 7, 2026
View All News
Named provisions
Related changes
Get daily alerts for AG: Alabama Press Releases
Daily digest delivered to your inbox.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
About this page
Every important government, regulator, and court update from around the world. One place. Real-time. Free. Our mission
Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from AL AG.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when AG: Alabama Press Releases publishes new changes.
Subscribed!
Optional. Filters your digest to exactly the updates that matter to you.