ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) — A new development in an alleged voter fraud case in Fremont County has shed some light on the jurisdictional lines between local and state authorities. Seven individuals face felony charges, accused of illegally registering to vote in the May 2023 Island Park Auditorium District election, a race that was decided by a narrow margin.
RELATED — Local News 8 Investigates: 7 arrested for voter fraud in Fremont County
Idaho AG and Secretary of State Not Involved in Local Voter Fraud Case, Former AG Explains Why
Today, officials from the Idaho Attorney General’s Office and the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office confirmed to Local News 8 that they have no involvement in the case. According to former Idaho Attorney General Dave Leroy, this is not an unusual circumstance.
“Illegal voting or fraudulent voting is simply a crime of local dimensions,” explained Leroy. “It falls under the province of a local prosecutor to investigate and charge if charges would be brought.”
Leroy noted that the Attorney General’s office would only get involved if the local prosecutor specifically requested their assistance.
While the Secretary of State’s office told Local News 8 they are not directly involved, Leroy believes they have an active interest in the outcome of the case. He explained that the Secretary of State’s office is “very active in trying to discern any kind of pattern of illegal voting anywhere in the state” and would likely be following the situation closely, especially given its potential to have affected a close election.
Local News 8 has included our entire interview with the former Attorney General above.
Sister of the accused man claims “situation has been mishandled”
The recent arrests have ignited a debate online. Among those arrested was Chad Vanderbeek, whose sister, Cammi Vanderbeek, claims the situation has been “completely mishandled” by authorities.
Cammi, who operates Island Park Cabins LLC, acknowledged over the phone that there was an effort by local property owners to register to vote in response to a proposed auditorium district. The auditorium proposal, which would have been funded by a tax on short-term rentals, was a major concern for many in the community, who argued it would make their businesses less competitive with nearby areas like West Yellowstone.
According to court documents, Chad Vanderbeek is accused of using his parents’ “summer home” in Island Park as his primary address to vote in the Island Park Auditorium District election. However, Cammi Vanderbeek argues that his driver’s license is registered to the Island Park address, a key point she believes authorities have overlooked.
“These are stand-up citizens in the community,” contends Vanderbeek. “It has been handled completely inappropriately. Some of these people are residents. They own their homes. They’ve never been Airbnb’d it. And if anything, there’s clerical mistakes or mistakes that were made. None of which were with the intent to break the law or vote without an ability to do so.”
Cammi Vanderbeek points to Idaho Title 34, which governs voter qualifications and registration. The law outlines a specific process for challenging a voter’s registration, including a written inquiry mailed to the challenged elector and a hearing where the individual can present evidence of their qualifications. She argues that if this process had been followed, it “would have had any questionable registrations dealt with long ago.”
However, voting statutes are clear that a person’s legal voting address is their permanent residence used for state income tax purposes. Court documents indicate that Chad Vanderbeek’s primary residence is in Idaho Falls.
The broader issue, according to multiple Island Park property owners, is the feeling that they contribute significantly to the local tax base but have no say in major community decisions. Local News 8, in addition to investigating the arrests, will be looking into how this issue impacts property owners in the area.
RELATED — Local News 8 Investigates: 7 arrested for voter fraud in Fremont County
