Texas Dem Mayoral Candidate Charged With Voter Fraud After Allegedly Applying for 84 Mail-In Ballots

A Democratic mayoral candidate in Texas was arrested last Wednesday and charged with voter fraud, after he allegedly applied for 84 mail-in ballots.

According to a press release issued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Zul Mirza Mohamed, a candidate in the City of Carrollton mayoral race, was charged with 109 felonies related to voter fraud, including 84 counts of mail ballot application fraud and 25 counts of unlawful possession of an official mail ballot.

"If convicted, Mohamed faces up to 20 years in prison for these offenses," the release stated.

In the press release, Paxton praised those involved—including the Denton County Sheriff's Office, the Lewisville Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Denton Elections and District Attorney's offices—for "their outstanding work on this case and their commitment to ensuring a free and fair Presidential election in the face of unprecedented voter fraud."

"Mail ballots are inherently insecure and vulnerable to fraud, and I am committed to safeguarding the integrity of our elections. My office is prepared to assist any Texas county in combating this form of fraud," Paxton added.

The Denton County Sheriff's Office was first made aware of possible fraudulent activities by the Denton County Elections Office on September 23, according to a press release issued by the sheriff's office.

"Absentee ballots had been requested to be sent to a PO Box in Lewisville Texas, alleged to belong to a nursing home facility," the sheriff's office wrote. "Investigators made contact with Carrollton residents whose ballots had been requested and learned the residents had not requested any ballots be mailed to the PO Box. Investigators learned the PO Box had been obtained with a fictitious Texas driver license and a fictitious University of North Texas student ID. Investigators began a surveillance of the postal facility and inserted an undercover officer inside the facility."

According to the release, on October 7, a box of the requested mail ballots were picked up at the postal facility, prompting investigators to surveil the suspect and obtain a search warrant for his residence.

"Investigators located the box containing the requested ballots in the bedroom of the suspect and the box and several ballots had been opened," the release added. "The fraudulent Texas Driver License used to rent the PO Box was located during the search. Zu Mirza Mohamed was placed under arrest and transported to the Denton County Jail."

Newsweek reached out to Paxton and the Denton County Sheriff's Office for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.