“Highly Suspicious” Ballot Box Video Sparks Concern in Montana

HELENA, Mont. (TNND) — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen’s office sounded the alarm Wednesday about surveillance video showing a person allegedly tampering with a ballot box in the state, telling the National News Desk that the scene appears “highly suspicious and concerning.”

The video, which circulated on social media on Wednesday, shows a person apparently trying to remove a ballot box from a post. Glacier County elections director Crystal Cole reported the video to Jacobsen’s office, claiming it showed possible tampering.

In an email to Jacobsen, Cole identified the person in the video as “Laslo from the MT Dem Party.” This person reportedly told Cole, “They sent him to the location to see how secure the box was.”

In a statement to TNND, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Christi Jackson said the video caused concern in her office.

“The Glacier County elections director contacted our office and expressed serious concerns that someone was attempting to ‘tamper’ with a ballot box,” the spokesperson wrote. “The EA noted that the incident was captured on surveillance video and the suspect and details were forwarded to Glacier County law enforcement.”

“Our Returning Officer was pleased that the individual was unable to remove the ballot box from the wall, although as the Returning Officer stated in her email, the activity was certainly highly suspicious and concerning,” the spokesperson added.

Montana U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy accused his incumbent opponent, Sen. John Tester, D-Mont., of coordinating the rigging with Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

“Why is @JonTester boss Chuck Schumer sending his staff from Washington to tinker with ballot boxes here in Montana???” Sheehy asked on social media. “If we want to save our country, we must vote to defeat the radical Democrats, Two-Faced Tester, Crooked Chuck and Crazy Kamala, by a wide margin!!”

Senate Republicans echoed that sentiment via their X account, asking, “Is Jon Tester trying to steal the election in Montana?”

Montana Democrats did not respond to a request for comment from TNND on Wednesday.

The controversy comes as some voters are already beginning to return their ballots. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz cast his vote Wednesday, telling supporters, “Now it’s your turn.”

Gov. Walz also told reporters that the vote was an opportunity to “reverse the chaos of Donald Trump and chart a new path forward.”

Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest national trending news. Do you have a news tip? Send it to jacwalker@sbgtv.com.