A former Republican candidate has landed in hot water following allegations of stealing election ballots during a recent test of voting machines in Madison County, Indiana. Larry L. Savage Jr., who previously campaigned for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, faces serious charges, including theft and destroying or misplacing a ballot.
Arrest and Charges
Savage, a 51-year-old resident of Anderson and a precinct committeeman, was arrested on October 29, 2024, after a thorough investigation into the missing ballots. He has since been released on a $500 cash bond. The legal troubles stem from an incident on October 3, when two ballots went missing during a public voting machine test at the Madison County Government Center.
Missing Ballots
The test event, designed for transparency, allowed citizens to run “test” ballots through the voting machines. Despite being marked as test ballots, they contained real candidate names and votes and were tracked by the state. After the testing concluded, officials discovered that one straight-Republican ballot and one write-in ballot were unaccounted for.
Security footage reviewed by officials showed Savage handling the missing ballots. In the video, he confirmed with an election official that the ballots were “absolutely, totally real.” Notably, Savage was seen folding the ballots and placing them in his sweatshirt pocket, before leaning over to a woman in attendance to comment about the situation.
Social Media Evidence
After leaving the testing site, Savage reportedly joined the woman’s Facebook Live stream under the account “Cardkiller57,” where he made light of the situation, saying, “3 ballots short!!! lol” and “Dontvtake [sic] anything.” This led to further scrutiny and ultimately prompted police to secure a search warrant for his vehicle and home.
Admission of Guilt
When police arrived at Savage’s home later that evening, he allegedly admitted to taking the ballots even before they had finished reading the warrant. “You talking about the ballot the lady told me I could take?” he reportedly said. The missing ballots were located in the back seat of his black 2018 Honda Civic.
During questioning, Savage claimed that the incident was “all political bulls**t” and suggested he thought the ballots were sample ballots, despite them being clearly marked with warnings against falsifying or violating election laws.
Ongoing Investigation
Indiana State Police have emphasized the importance of the Voting System Technical Oversight Program (VSTOP), which tests all election equipment for safety and security. This incident underscores the critical nature of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
Following consultation with the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office, Savage has been charged with:
- Destroying or Misplacing a Ballot – Level 6 Felony
- Theft – Class A Misdemeanor
Public Reaction
Savage’s arrest has stirred significant public interest and concern regarding election integrity, especially given his previous statements advocating for “fair, transparent elections.” His upcoming initial hearing in Madison Circuit Court 6 has yet to be scheduled.
During a prior interview, Savage portrayed himself as a “common man” responding to economic concerns such as rising gas and food prices, which he attributed to the political climate following former President Donald Trump’s departure from office.
