BOISE, Idaho — A 70-year-old Idaho man was sentenced for illegally voting and illegal registration by a voter in the 2020 Presidential Election.
Charles A. Skiles of Boise was on felony probation, prohibiting him from voting or registering to vote, according to Idaho law.
During the Nov. 3, 2020 Presidential election, Skiles completed a voter registration card at an Ada County polling location and stated that he was an eligible voter, although he was not due to his felony probation status. He then illegally cast a ballot to vote in Ada County according to the Ada County Prosecutor's office.
On four other occasions ahead of the 2020 election, Skiles registered to vote but all illegal registrations were found and discarded by Ada County Election Officials due to his felony status.
“The right to vote in a democratic republic is precious,” said Judge Wilper during the sentencing. He went on to thank the Ada County Elections Director, who testified during the trial, about the intricate care that is taken by the Elections Team to review every vote.
The Ada County Elections Office discovered the crime in the spring of 2021, during an overall review of the 2020 election, and reported it to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation led to Skiles being charged with felony illegal voting and misdemeanor illegal registration by a voter, according to the Ada County Prosecutor’s office.
“We do a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure the integrity of voting,” said Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane. “I am grateful for the team of investigators and the partnership we have with Sheriff Clifford and Prosecutor Bennetts to ensure the law is upheld. This is one case of a small handful we have taken action on recently, and though voting crimes are rare, we work hard to both prevent and detect them, and pursue cases in instances where the law has been broken.”
Skiles was sentenced by Judge Wilper Wednesday to a three-year prison term, but suspended the term and placed him and three-year probation. Skiles is also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine and court costs.
