Former Democratic Mayoral Candidate Pleads Guilty to Forging Nearly 1,000 Voter Registration Applications in New Jersey

Henrilynn Ibezim, who ran for mayor of Plainfield, New Jersey, in the 2021 Democratic primary, pleaded guilty to forging nearly 1,000 voter registration applications, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. The forgery scheme involved Ibezim bringing a garbage bag stuffed with falsified registration forms to a post office in Elizabeth, intending to mail them to the county’s registration commissioner.

The attorney general’s office revealed that the bulk of these forms were filled out by only three or four individuals, none of which were marked as completed by anyone other than the supposed voter. This blatant fraud was compounded by Ibezim’s efforts to coach a witness on how to evade law enforcement questions, instructing the witness not to "admit anything."

Despite orchestrating this large-scale forgery, Ibezim’s campaign failed spectacularly, earning just 103 votes and losing decisively to incumbent Adrian O. Mapp. The former candidate, running on the Unity Party ticket, was initially charged with multiple offenses including election fraud and witness tampering. However, as part of a plea deal, all but one third-degree forgery charge were dropped.

Prosecutors have recommended probation for Ibezim, who is due to be sentenced in June. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport emphasized the importance of holding bad actors accountable, stating, "It is crucial to our system of government that those who engage in illegal and bad-faith conduct during elections be held accountable. Failing to do so opens the door to a loss of public confidence in the democratic process."

This case underscores that threats to election integrity are not confined to one party or ideology. Even candidates within the Democratic Party have attempted to manipulate the system, reinforcing the urgent need for vigilance and accountability to protect our democracy from all forms of corruption and fraud.