If anyone needed a reminder that election integrity still matters, look no further than Alabama.
Three women in Monroe County have been indicted on voter fraud charges tied to the August 26, 2025 Frisco City municipal election. According to court documents first reported by Fox 10 TV, the women are accused of falsifying and submitting official voting documents and tampering with absentee ballots for a combined total of 20 people.
The defendants are 67 year old Sharon Crayton Denson, 46 year old Samantha Trashawn Kyles, and 59 year old Sarah Crayton Bennett. Prosecutors allege Denson filled out absentee ballots for seven individuals and is charged with six counts of unlawful use of absentee ballots and six counts of submitting false ballot applications. Her bail is set at $36,000.
Kyles is charged with four counts of unlawful use of absentee ballots and three counts of submitting false ballot applications, allegedly altering ballots for four people. Her bail is $21,000.
Bennett faces nine counts of unlawful use of absentee ballots and nine counts of submitting false ballot applications, accused of filling out ballots for nine individuals. Her bond is set at $54,000. All three are currently being held at the Monroe County Jail.
This was a local municipal race, not a presidential contest. Twenty ballots may not sound like much in a national election. In a small town race, that can be the margin of victory. And more importantly, it undercuts public trust.
During his State of the Union address, President Trump once again urged the Senate to pass the SAVE Act, legislation aimed at tightening election safeguards, including requiring proof of citizenship for federal elections. The House has already approved the measure. The Senate is now the battleground.
Critics often point to studies showing that documented election fraud cases are relatively rare. For example, a review cited by the Heritage Foundation found 39 instances of voter fraud in Pennsylvania over three decades. But here is the thing. Fraud is not supposed to be common. The existence of prosecutions like the one in Alabama proves the system can be exploited when safeguards are weak or enforcement is lax.
President Trump put it bluntly in his speech, saying, “They want to cheat. They have cheated. And their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat. Cheating is rampant.”
Supporters of the SAVE Act argue it is basic common sense. Require proof of citizenship. Tighten absentee ballot controls. Make sure every legal vote counts and only legal votes count.
Opponents claim it is unnecessary. But cases like the one in Frisco City are exactly why many Americans are demanding stronger protections.
Trust in elections is foundational. Once that erodes, everything else starts to wobble. If lawmakers are serious about restoring confidence, passing meaningful safeguards would be a good place to start.
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