DOJ charges former postal worker with throwing away 300 ballots
PUBLISHED Sep 22, 2026, 4:34 PM ET
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Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging a former United States Postal Service worker with unlawfully discarding mail, including approximately three hundred mail-in ballots intended for a primary election. The defendant, Damon Matai Seei, allegedly threw the election materials and advertisements into a dumpster in Utah instead of completing his delivery route. Investigators discovered the discarded items after local residents reported missing ballots, triggering a joint probe by the Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations. Authorities stated that the defendant acted to lighten his workload and found no evidence of a broader partisan conspiracy or coordinated effort to subvert the election. Legal officials emphasized that interfering with election mail severely impacts democratic participation, carrying serious federal criminal penalties under federal law. The defendant remains presumed innocent pending judicial proceedings.
By Ayesha A. | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- On June 3, 2026, the postal worker discarded mail-in ballots into a dumpster.
- On June 23, 2026, the primary election took place in Utah.
- On July 10, 2026, local residents reported missing election ballots to officials.
- On July 15, 2026, postal inspectors initiated an official investigation into mail loss.
- On August 5, 2026, investigators recovered discarded ballots from a commercial dumpster.
- On August 20, 2026, federal agents interviewed the former postal worker regarding mail.
- On September 10, 2026, a federal grand jury approved criminal indictment charges.
- On September 16, 2026, the federal grand jury formally indicted the worker.
- On September 22, 2026, the Department of Justice officially unsealed the federal indictment.
- On November 30, 2026, the next scheduled court appearance will occur.
News Intelligence
- Immediate US impact: Federal authorities highlight vulnerabilities in postal chain of custody handling.
- Possible long-term US impact: Enhanced postal tracking measures will protect future election mail integrity.
- Most affected groups: Postal workers, federal prosecutors, Utah residents, and election administration agencies.
- Reader priority: Monitor verified official federal announcements and primary investigative journalism reports.
- Articles Published:
- 32
- Right Leaning:
- 9
- Left Leaning:
- 5
- Neutral:
- 18
- Distribution:
- Left 16%, Center 56%, Right 28%
Left: Highlighted institutional threats to voting access and ballot security. Center: Emphasized law enforcement actions, charges, and lack of conspiracy. Right: Focused on postal accountability, administrative failure, and ballot integrity concerns.
Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against a postal worker. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/former-postal-worker-indicted-discarding-mail-and-ballots
Coverage of Story:
From Left
DOJ seizes on Utah ballot dumping case to attack USPS court rulings, push Trump’s anti-voting agenda
Democracy Docket New York Times Washington Post HuffPost IndependentFrom Center
Former postal worker charged with throwing away Utah ballots
Associated Press Reuters East Idaho News WSLS ABC News Politico The Hill USA Today Bloomberg Newsweek Time Chicago Tribune Houston Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle NPR Axios Forbes CNBCFrom Right
DOJ charges Utah USPS worker after 300 mail-in ballots allegedly tossed in dumpster
Washington Examiner NTD Wall Street Journal Daily Mail Washington Times Daily Caller The Western Journal Newsmax One America News
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