MANASSAS, Va. (AP) — The former elections registrar in Prince William County has been indicted on felony charges that include corrupt conduct in office.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the three-count indictment against Michele White Wednesday, but declined to comment or provide details on the alleged misconduct.
The indictment includes two felony counts — corrupt conduct as an election official and making a false statement — as well as a misdemeanor charge of willful neglect of duty.
The indictment does not detail the alleged misconduct but says it occurred in the months before and after the November 2020 election.
White was the county’s registrar from 2015 to 2021, when she resigned abruptly with no public explanation. Before that, she served in a similar role in nearby Culpeper County.
Email and social media messages sent to White’s business were not immediately returned Wednesday. A working phone number could not be found. Online court records do not list an attorney for White.
The Office of Elections said in a statement that White’s conduct “did not impact the outcome of any election contest.”
The statement said Eric Olsen, the current director of elections/general registrar, reported “discrepancies” to the Commissioner of Elections and State Board of Elections earlier this year, which led to the investigation by Miyares.
The statement also said Olsen and the electoral board this year have built a new leadership team that is dedicated to fair and accurate elections.
“Many improvements and best practices have been adopted to ensure a safe and transparent voting experience for the voters of Prince William County,” the statement said.