Former NJ Mayoral Candidate Caught Red-Handed Forging Nearly 1,000 Voter Registrations

In a stunning example of election misconduct, Henrilynn Ibezim, who ran for mayor in Plainfield, New Jersey, admitted to forging nearly 1,000 voter registration applications during the 2021 Democratic primary. New Jersey’s Office of the Attorney General revealed Thursday that Ibezim attempted to flood the voter rolls with falsified registrations in a blatant effort to manipulate the election outcome.

According to prosecutors, Ibezim showed up at a post office in Elizabeth, New Jersey, carrying a garbage bag stuffed with about 1,000 fake voter registration forms. Most of these were completed in the handwriting of just three or four individuals, a clear sign of mass fabrication. None of the applications indicated they had been completed by anyone other than the supposed voter, further underscoring the deliberate deceit.

The scheme unraveled as investigators uncovered that Ibezim coached a witness who helped him fill out the forms, instructing the person to “not admit anything” if questioned by law enforcement. This witness tampering charge was originally part of an eight-count indictment against Ibezim, which included election fraud and other criminal offenses. However, as part of a plea deal, all charges except one count of third-degree forgery were dropped.

Despite the scale of his fraud, Ibezim’s efforts were futile. He garnered only 103 votes in the primary, losing decisively to the incumbent mayor, Adrian O. Mapp. Prosecutors are recommending probation for Ibezim, who is set to be sentenced in June.

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport emphasized the importance of safeguarding elections from bad actors like Ibezim. “It is crucial to our system of government that those who engage in illegal and bad-faith conduct during elections be held accountable,” Davenport said. “Failing to do so opens the door to a loss of public confidence in the democratic process.”

This case lays bare the vulnerabilities in our election systems and the lengths some candidates will go to subvert democracy. It also highlights the need for vigilant oversight and swift consequences to deter election fraud that undermines voter trust and the legitimacy of our government.