Investigation launched into voter fraud alleged at Hagatna polling site

Voter fraud is being alleged in the mayoral race for Hagatna.

Write-in candadate Jovyna San Agustin filed the complaint with the Guam Election Commission moments before Wednesday’s meeting.

She claims at least 40 of the people who voted in the general election are not residents of Hagatna.

GEC staff will investigate and contact the voters listed in the complaint to verify.

The complaint did not hold up certifying the results for mayor-elect Michael Gumataotao. He got 147 votes, while there were 73 write-ins.

Officials noting the questionable votes would not change the outcome.

Patrick Civille with the Guam Election Commission said, "We have to take these administrative complaints very seriously and my recollection is the complainant did at the primary level present some evidence that caused us to have some concern. That people were voting from the same address where it appeared that was impossible that many people were living at that address. I think we owe it to the voters to explore this and make it clear that as a commission we take voting out of district seriously. So, I think we should go ahead and certify the results because it doesn’t make a difference but I think we should still investigate the complaint.”

Commissioners got a similar challenge following the primary race. The GEC agreed to investigate the complaint.