Photo by Jason Morrison via stock.xchng
Michael D. Radtke of Twin Lakes has been charged by the Kenosha County District Attorney with three counts of election fraud.
From a statement issued by the DA’s office today:
A criminal complaint has been issued charging Michael D. Radtke, 49, 907 Legion Dr., Twin Lakes, with three counts of election fraud. According to the complaint, Radtke, a convicted felon, registered to vote and voted on Nov. 6, 2012 at the Lakewood School in Twin Lakes. Radtke was convicted of felony identity theft on January 11, 2010 in the Walworth County Circuit Court and is on probation until January 11, 2015. The criminal complaint said that Radtke falsely stated to a poll worker that he was not on felony probation at the time he registered and that based on that statement he was registered to vote and did vote. An investigation by Det. Joshua Cooper of the Twin Lakes Police Department and Assistant District Attorney Richard Ginkowski showed that four times before registering and voting Radtke signed notices acknowledging that as a convicted felon he is ineligle to vote in any election until his civil rights are restored. “Many people think that a convicted felon can never vote and that’s not entirely accurate,” Ginkowski said. “A convicted felon can legally vote when his or her civil rights are restored which means when their sentence or term of probation, parole or extended supervision has been fully served,” he added. “Here Mr. Radtke was still on felony probation and not only voted but also was allowed to register to vote after stating to an election official that he was not on felony supervision.” Radtke is scheduled to make an initial appearance on March 27, 2013. If convicted he could be sentenced to a fine up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment for three and one-half years on each of the three counts. A criminal complaint is only an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
