New Jersey Mayoral Candidate Pleads Guilty to Voter Registration Fraud

Henrilyn Ibezim, who previously ran for mayor in New Jersey, has admitted to forging around 1,000 voter registration applications during the 2021 Democratic primary, as reported by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

Allegedly, during the 2021 primary in Plainfield, Ibezim was seen with a garbage bag that contained these fraudulent voter applications, intending to mail them to the Union County Registrar Commissioner from a post office in Elizabeth.

The investigation revealed that most of these applications were strangely filled out in the handwriting of just three or four individuals, and none indicated they were completed by anyone other than the supposed voters.

Interestingly, the attorney general’s office mentioned that Ibezim tried to coach witnesses aiding him in completing these applications, advising them on how to respond to law enforcement inquiries and not to “admit anything.”

Despite these attempts, Ibezim, who was running under a Unity Party ticket, only garnered 103 votes and ultimately lost the primary to the current mayor, Adrian O. Mapp.

Ibezim pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree forgery on Monday and, as part of a plea agreement, had several original charges—ranging from election fraud to witness tampering—dropped.

According to statements, prosecutors are likely to recommend a suspended sentence for him, with sentencing set for June.

“My office is determined to ensure that elections are fair and that the results are determined by the will of the voters,” said Attorney General Jennifer Davenport in a statement.

Davenport emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for illegal actions during elections, as failing to do so risks public trust in the democratic process.