Griffin, a 40-year-old mother of three young children and one stepdaughter, would have faced up to 15 years in prison if convicted since she was charged as a habitual offender...
Griffin had lost her voting rights following a 2008 felony conviction for delivery of less than 100 grams of cocaine. She testified that she believed her right to vote had been restored when she left probation last year, which had been the state's policy until it was rescinded three years ago by Republican Gov. Terry Branstad.Griffin testified that she was trying to teach her stepdaughter about the voting process when she participated in a election involving an uncontested race involving her local mayor and city council.
Lee County Attorney Michael Short had argued that Griffin deliberately left blank a question on the form that asked whether she was a convicted felon, and if so, whether her rights were restored. "That's a knowing lie!" he shouted during closing arguments, forcefully lunging his head toward Griffin. He said she was trying to hide her past as a drug dealer and promote an image of a "stay-at-home mom who is just doing her thing."
Griffin's was the first example of voter fraud that made its way to court. Secretary of State Matt Schultz has been using these cases to prove that Iowa has a major problem with voter fraud. Reports at the end of 2013 had indicated that Schultz had spent $150,000 to find five incidents of voter fraud (most involving ex-felons who had mistakenly registered to vote -- not attempted to vote). That number went up to 26 cases over the past two years and his spending total ended up approaching $280,000.