Democrat County Commissioner and Son of Civil Rights Icon Indicted on Voter Fraud Charges

Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner Jr. has been indicted on voter fraud charges.

Turner Jr., the son of civil rights activist Albert Turner Sr., is accused of voting more than once, which is a misdemeanor, and harvesting ballots, a felony.

“Fourth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Michael Jackson, along with Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, announced the two-count indictment Wednesday,” the Advance Local reports.

This morning I was in Selma w/Alabama’s 4th Circuit District Attorney Michael Jackson to announce the indictment of Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner, Jr. on 2 counts of voter fraud, 1 felony & 1 misdemeanor in the 2022 election cycle.#All67 #EasyToVoteAndHardToCheat pic.twitter.com/k8mkUcyIUP

— John Merrill (@JohnHMerrill) January 11, 2023

The allegations stem from two different Perry County elections in 2022 – one in May and one in November.

Turner Jr. is accused of “stuffing” ballots into a voting machine in the May Democratic primary election, according to Jackson.

“He was there most of the day stuffing filled out ballots in favor of the candidates he was supporting,’’ Jackson said.

“Witnesses came forward, and we felt we had enough to present to a Perry County grand jury.”

Turner Jr. is also accused of mailing an undisclosed number of absentee ballots in the November general election.

Turner Jr. called the accusations nothing more than “political theatre.”

He told the Associated Press that he did know about the charges, but that he did nothing wrong.

“I am not concerned about any charge he has announced and I will not waste any energy on political theatre. It is mighty funny that Little Mike waited until he was leaving office to make his charge, because he knows he can’t prove his case,” Turner Jr. wrote in a text message to AP.

Further details from Advance Local:

Perry County jail and sheriff’s officials would not say whether Turner has already been booked into the jail.

Jackson and Merrill did not speak to the specific races in which Turner is accused of trying to influence. They said it’s too soon to know if those races could be impacted by the results of the ongoing investigation and Merrill said other people could be charged.

Jackson said the investigation is being turned over to the Alabama Attorney General’s Office to avoid any possible conflict of interest.

Jackson, who has been district attorney since 2004, lost the district attorney’s race in May to Robert H. Turner Jr., who is Albert Turner’s first cousin.

“While the accused is innocent until proven guilty, it is important to know that this incident, just like the other 1805 incidents we have investigated over the last eight years, will receive the full attention of this office as we confirm for the people for the State of Alabama that we are the gold standard for election administration in the United States.”