Former Utah County Clerk Faces Felony Charges for Mishandling Election Ballots

Alaina Lofgran, a former county clerk in Utah, faces serious legal repercussions with the filing of three felony charges and additional counts against her. These charges stem from allegations of mishandling and destroying ballots from the 2020 and 2022 elections. Lofgran, who held the position of Juab County Clerk/Auditor from 2015 until this year, is accused of shredding ballots shortly after the 2022 election. This action contravenes the legal requirement to preserve ballots for at least 22 months to facilitate potential recounts.

The allegations extend to the improper storage of 2020 election ballots. Lofgran reportedly kept these ballots in a basement storage room, which was not only accessible to multiple county employees but also easily visible. This storage method is a direct violation of state law, which mandates that ballots be securely locked away.

“These charges are serious and reflect the heavy responsibility of county clerks to uphold election law. Public trust demands accountability of those who swear oaths to fulfill their duties with fidelity and then fail to do so,” Republican Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said.

A witness has come forward, claiming to have seen Lofgran placing the 2022 ballots in a “shred bin” in a closet near the clerk’s office soon after the election. Despite the need to retain these ballots for recounts, Lofgran allegedly returned them to the shred bin later. “The election reports were done, and we don’t need them anymore,” Lofgran allegedly said.

The charges against Lofgran were precipitated by a 2022 lawsuit seeking records from the 2020 election. During this lawsuit, a state judge had instructed Lofgran to preserve the 2020 election records. However, a subsequent investigation revealed that none of the 4,795 ballots from the 2022 general election and only a portion of the 5,932 ballots from the 2020 general election were found during a search of the county offices and the aforementioned basement room.

Lofgran now faces multiple charges, including willful neglect of duty, destroying or concealing ballots, and destroying public records, all felonies. Additionally, she has been charged with two counts of improper ballot disposition and two counts of unofficial misconduct, which are misdemeanors.

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