Attorney General Steve Marshall announces arrests for absentee ballot fraud in Ft. Deposit municipal election

For Immediate Release:
April 15, 2026

For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
William Califf (334) 604-3230

(Hayneville, Ala) – Attorney General Steve Marshall today announced the arrest of two Lowndes County residents on charges related to the unlawful use of absentee ballots in the August 2025 Ft. Deposit, Ala municipal election.

Jacqulyn Boone, 51, and Steven Thigpen, 49, were each charged with unlawful use of absentee ballots, a Class C felony under Alabama law. Boone previously served as mayor of Ft. Deposit, and Thigpen was a candidate for the Ft. Deposit City Council. Both were declared winners in the August 2025 election.

The election was later set aside due to voting irregularities, and a special election was held in January 2026.

Under Alabama law, unlawful use of absentee ballots is punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison.

The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division is prosecuting the case. Due to the ongoing investigation, no additional details are being released at this time.

*An arrest is not a conviction. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.-30-