PHOENIX — A former Phoenix mayoral candidate is now awaiting trial on charges of computer tampering and false voter registration.
The ABC15 investigators initially reported on the allegations against Tim Seay in November 2021. Several former felons said Seay had offered to help them restore their civil rights. Within days or weeks of their first contact, Seay invited them to the Masonic Lodge in south Phoenix. They said they met Seay at the lodge, and he gave them paperwork confirming they had been registered to vote.
"I wanted to have a voice, and I thought this was a dream come true," said Tammie Cook. She showed us her official voter identification card, which she received in the mail.
Cook is one of four people who spoke to ABC15 about Seay. All four said they later realized no one had completed the official court process to restore their rights, so they said they were illegally registered to vote.
Seay was indicted late last year. This month, prosecutors informed Cook and others that they were on the witness list if Seay goes to trial in May. They are some of the 18 victims listed in the case.
ABC15 left phone messages for both Seay and his lawyer Thursday. Neither responded by Friday afternoon.
When ABC15 interviewed Seay in 2021, he said, "I didn't illegally register anyone."
Seay said he was trying to help people and "those who said that they got cards or whatever it was: unregistered, unregistered."
After watching ABC15's reports about Seay, state Senator Kelly Townsend sponsored a bill to close the felony voter loophole.
The former felons who spoke to ABC15 said they were registered but never actually voted. They don't face any charges related to that case.
Contact ABC15 investigator Melissa with news tips at Melissa.Blasius@abc15.com or 602-685-6362. You can also connect on Twitter and Facebook.
