Former Alabama Mayor, Candidate Arrested After Election Voided Over Ballot Irregularities
Two Alabama political figures who initially won local office are now facing felony charges after authorities say an election they participated in was tainted by absentee ballot misuse.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced April 15 that former Fort Deposit mayor Jacqulyn Boone, 51, and former city council candidate Steven Thigpen, 49, have been arrested and charged with unlawful use of absentee ballots stemming from the town’s August 2025 municipal election.
Both Boone and Thigpen were declared winners in that election before it was later invalidated due to what officials described as “voting irregularities.”
The attorney general’s office has not released specific details about the nature of those irregularities, citing an ongoing investigation.
The election results were formally set aside following the findings, removing both individuals from the offices they had initially secured.
A special election was later held in January to fill the contested positions, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.
In that follow-up race, Boone was defeated by Madelene Means, while Thigpen withdrew from consideration prior to the vote, according to local reporting.
Prosecutors state that each defendant faces a Class C felony under Alabama law.
If convicted, the charge carries a potential sentence ranging from one year and one day to up to 10 years in prison.
The case is being handled by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division, a unit tasked with pursuing complex or sensitive criminal matters across the state.
Officials have not indicated whether additional individuals could be implicated as investigators continue reviewing evidence.
Authorities have also not disclosed how many ballots are under scrutiny or how the alleged misuse may have influenced the outcome of the original election.
The limited detail has left open questions about the scope of the irregularities that prompted the results to be overturned.
Under Alabama law, absentee ballot violations are treated as serious offenses due to their potential impact on election integrity.
Improper handling, submission, or collection of such ballots can carry criminal penalties, particularly in smaller elections where relatively few votes can determine the outcome.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced April 15 that former Fort Deposit mayor Jacqulyn Boone, 51, and former city council candidate Steven Thigpen, 49, have been arrested and charged with unlawful use of absentee ballots stemming from the town’s August 2025 municipal election.
Both Boone and Thigpen were declared winners in that election before it was later invalidated due to what officials described as “voting irregularities.”
The attorney general’s office has not released specific details about the nature of those irregularities, citing an ongoing investigation.
The election results were formally set aside following the findings, removing both individuals from the offices they had initially secured.
A special election was later held in January to fill the contested positions, the Montgomery Advertiser reported.
In that follow-up race, Boone was defeated by Madelene Means, while Thigpen withdrew from consideration prior to the vote, according to local reporting.
Prosecutors state that each defendant faces a Class C felony under Alabama law.
If convicted, the charge carries a potential sentence ranging from one year and one day to up to 10 years in prison.
The case is being handled by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division, a unit tasked with pursuing complex or sensitive criminal matters across the state.
Officials have not indicated whether additional individuals could be implicated as investigators continue reviewing evidence.
Authorities have also not disclosed how many ballots are under scrutiny or how the alleged misuse may have influenced the outcome of the original election.
The limited detail has left open questions about the scope of the irregularities that prompted the results to be overturned.
Under Alabama law, absentee ballot violations are treated as serious offenses due to their potential impact on election integrity.
Improper handling, submission, or collection of such ballots can carry criminal penalties, particularly in smaller elections where relatively few votes can determine the outcome.
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