A pair of former local officials in Alabama is now facing felony charges tied to an election that was ultimately thrown out.
Authorities say a former mayor and a city council candidate in Lowndes County were arrested over alleged absentee ballot abuse during the August 2025 municipal election in the town of Ft. Deposit, Alabama.
Former Mayor Jacqulyn Boone, 51, and city council candidate Steven Thigpen, 49, were each charged with unlawful use of absentee ballots, a Class C felony, according to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office. Investigators say the case stems from alleged mishandling of absentee ballots during the race.
Both Boone and Thigpen had initially come out on top in their respective contests. But the results didn’t stand for long.
Citing “voting irregularities,” officials later set aside the election, stripping both candidates of their wins. The attorney general’s office has not released additional details about what specifically triggered that decision.
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A do-over election was held in January. Boone failed to reclaim the mayor’s office, while Thigpen dropped out of the race.
Boone previously ran on a platform focused on local economic development and maintaining city services in Ft. Deposit, a small town that has grappled with declining population and limited resources. During her time in office, she backed efforts to stabilize the city’s finances and improve infrastructure, according to prior local reporting. She was the city’s first black female mayor.
Under Alabama law, a conviction for unlawful use of absentee ballots carries a potential sentence of 1 to 10 years in prison.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials say more information could be released as the case develops.
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