A Phoenix man accused of illegally registering former felons to vote online has been sentenced to probation for computer tampering.
Tim Seay, a 2020 Phoenix mayoral candidate, claimed to have helped 350 felons restore their civil rights, posting about it on his Facebook page in 2020 and 2021.
Tammie Ryder was one of several people who complained about Seay’s operation, saying she was illegally registered to vote without going through the required court process.
“He took my trust for granted and used my information illegally,” Ryder said in court during Seay’s sentencing Monday.
To avoid a trial, Seay pleaded guilty to computer tampering earlier this year. In exchange, false voter registration charges were dropped.
Investigators found that Seay accessed a state government website a thousand times from the same IP address.
“He took the information needed to access Service Arizona on their behalf, but never told them he was going to do so,” said Todd Lawson, a prosecutor in the attorney general’s office.
Seay was sentenced to three years of probation, community service, and the possibility of jail time. With the felony conviction on his record, Seay also loses the right to vote.
Seay’s supporters said in court that he was the “kindest person” and a “pillar of the community.” Defense attorney Steve Johnson said Seay was offering community assistance to many people.
“It got too big, too quick,” Johnson said. He attributes the registrations to a “terrible mistake” and not something done with criminal intent or for political gain.
Judge Mark Brain said he felt for the victims but also acknowledged Seay’s good intentions.
“This case is going to foster this notion that our government and our voting system is broken,” Brain said.
After ABC15 first reported on Seay’s operation, the state legislature passed two new laws to improve the process of striking felons off the voting rolls and simplifying the process for some felons to get their voting rights restored.
“It makes me feel good my voice was heard,” Ryder said after the sentencing.
