MEDIA — District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer today announced the filing of criminal charges against MD Nurul Hasan, of Millbourne Borough, for falsely registering nearly three dozen non-Millbourne residents and casting ballots for them in Millbourne for the 2021 general election for mayor of Millbourne. The defendant, the current Vice President of Millbourne Borough Council, was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor of the Borough in 2021. Hasan, along with two co-defendants, is also facing federal criminal charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for his conduct in connection with the 2021 election.
“The bedrock principle of democracy is free and fair elections. Millbourne Borough Councilman MD Hasan violated that principle in 2021 by stuffing the ballot box with illegal votes in an effort to win higher office. Today, thanks to an exhaustive joint investigation lead by my office and our partners at the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Delaware County Bureau of Elections, he is being held accountable for his criminal acts,” said District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.
Millbourne is a small community that is home to just over 1,200 people. The defendant’s scheme — which investigators say resulted in about three dozen fraudulent ballots — could have swayed results in the low-turnout election. Despite his illegal conduct, defendant Hasan lost the race by nearly 30 votes to Mayor Mahabubul A. Tayub.
Pennsylvania’s online voter registration system is set up so that voters can register and alter information only for themselves. The online system can also be used to request a mail-in ballot.
According to the complaint, the defendant and his allies persuaded many of their non-Millbourne friends and acquaintances to show them their driver’s licenses or other documents in order to obtain the person information necessary to gain access to the online system. Others had identifying information taken non-consensually and used in furtherance of the fraud. The defendant then used Pennsylvania’s online voter registration system to change the registration address for those individuals.
The complaint alleges that Hasan not only changed nonresidents’ voter registrations, but also had their mail-in ballots sent to himself and a small group of his allies. Hasan then allegedly filled out the ballots, voting for himself, and returned them to Delaware County voter services.
“Since taking office in 2020, we have worked vigorously with the hardworking team at the Delaware County Bureau of Elections to investigate and prosecute election fraud. To date, we have brought four cases of illegal voting. In each case the fraud was aided by failures in our current election system. I understand the desire to allow people easy access to participate in our democracy though the use of modern technology, but in my opinion our Legislature should be putting safeguards in place to address the issues raised in these prosecutions. The fact that the Commonwealth’s online voter registration system could be manipulated in this way should trouble our state lawmakers. After all, the Delaware County Voter Registration Commission can only administer the system our Legislature puts in place,” said Stollsteimer.
Jim Allen, the Delaware County Elections Director, said the county cooperated in the investigation after concerns were raised in 2021. The prosecutions, he said, should serve as a deterrent to others tempted to break the rules.
“I view this as evidence that investigators are not going to let passage of time or the lack of an impact on the election result prevent them from pursuing the case, however long it takes.” The scheme, which required knowledge of personal information, Allen said, is “exceedingly rare”.
“I want to thank Deputy District Attorney Douglas Rhoads, Detectives Robert Lythgoe and Edward Rosen, Special Agent Chad Speicher and Jason Huff, and AUSA Mark Dubnoff for their thorough investigation which has brought Mr. Hasan to justice. I also want to express our deep appreciation to the FBI, the US Attorney’s office, and the Delaware County Bureau of Elections for their invaluable assistance at every step of the way in this investigation,” said Stollsteimer.
The defendant was charged with 16 counts of Unlawful Voting, 16 counts of Voting Fraud and 16 counts of Obstructing Administration of Law or Other Governmental Function, graded as misdemeanors. An arrest or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The District Attorney and the Criminal Investigations Division remind anyone in Delaware County who observes suspicious activity call to 911 immediately and provide the most specific and accurate details possible to assist law enforcement agencies investigating the call for service.
For press inquiries, please contact Margie McAboy, Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, 610-579-0429.