New fallout after poll worker brings ballots to local bar: I-Team
LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered new video from the case of a Lorain County poll manager caught taking Election Day ballots to a bar. We’ve now learned of new fallout.
The new video shows us what we haven’t seen before. The investigation has been sent to a prosecutor for review, and the poll manager won’t be working any more Lorain County elections.
The people running the MAHD House Bar and Grille spoke up last week about what they saw the day before the Primary Election Day.
Cameras captured a Lorain County polling site manager getting help taking bags with blank ballots into the bar.
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Now that the investigation is finished, we see what Lorain County deputies reviewed.
Video revealed the poll worker putting the ballot bags into garbage bags. At one point, he walked away from the ballots leaving them unattended. Later, he got picked up by a ridesharing service.
“I can certainly see why this would concern the general public,” Lorain County Sheriff’s Department Captain Robert Vansant said.
The sheriff’s department did not find clear evidence of a crime even with the video so alarming.
The investigation showed polling site manager Mark Provenza picked up voting materials the day before the election. But, no one tampered with the ballots and no ballots ended up missing.
Still, deputies are having prosecutors review the case.
“We always want all cases to be reviewed by a prosecutor just to get a second set of eyes on it,” Captain Vansant said. “More of a checks and balances to have them look at it.”
What about putting those ballot bags into garbage bags? A report shows the poll worker said he wanted to keep the ballots safe from the weather.
The report shows he ordered a beer and a sandwich, and he went to the bar to wait for a ride since he was having car trouble.
Provenza didn’t return messages we left.
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The Lorain County Board of Elections sys poll workers can pick up materials ahead of Election Day.
But, after seeing this new video, the county will not be using Provenza anymore. The Board of Elections was especially bothered by the video showing the worker walk away from blank ballots.
The report says Provenza told investigators, yes, he walked away from those ballots, but they were never really out of his sight.
The MAHD House Bar and Grill went public by talking about this on a podcast, shortly after the ballots had come into the bar.
“I’m telling you, when I seen it, I went, ‘this does not look right,’” owner James Tucker said. “I mean, we’re right across the street from the Lorain County Board of Elections. I’ve been here seven years, ain’t never seen nobody bring no ballot bags in. I don’t know what just happened, but I’m a little nervous.”
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