Canton Twp. Man Gets Probation For Election Law Violation: AG

CANTON TWP., MI — A Canton Township man accused of forging his daughter’s signature on an absentee voter ballot in the November general election was sentenced to probation Tuesday after pleading guilty to a lesser charge, according to the Michigan Attorney General's office.

Paul Parana, 47, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor election law violation and was sentenced to 90 days probation and ordered to pay court costs and fees of roughly $1,100 by Judge Deborah Thomas in Wayne County Circuit Court, the AG's office said in a news release.

“While voter fraud rarely occurs, we are vigilant in pursuing such activity when it does,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. “This is an example of how my office reviews legitimate claims of voter fraud to discover the facts and prosecute according to the law.”

Parana was charged in November with impersonating a voter, a four-year felony, and election law forgery, a five-year felony, according to prosecutors.

State officials said that an investigation found that prior to the Nov. 3 election, an absentee voter ballot addressed to Parana’s daughter arrived at her father's home, and rather than forward the ballot to his daughter, Parana filled out the ballot as she instructed. He then forged her name to the back of the ballot envelope and mailed it to the Canton Township Clerk’s Office, officials said.

After discovering the fraudulent ballot, the clerk’s office reported the situation to the Michigan Department of State for investigation, according to the news release. The daughter’s ballot was ultimately accepted after the township clerk contacted her and was able to obtain her valid signature on an affidavit, officials said.

“Michigan’s election was the most secure in our state’s history, and the results accurately reflect the will of the voters,” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said. “Despite unprecedented scrutiny we continue to affirm the security and integrity of the process with our zero tolerance policy for any incident of fraud.”