Nine more potential cases of voter fraud have been uncovered in Iowa, according to Secretary of State Matt Schultz. Eight of the cases involve residents of Waterloo. The other involves a Montrose woman.

“These are all cases of felons who voted,” Schultz says. “These cases were referred to the Black Hawk County Attorney and the Lee County Attorney and they decided to file charges.” Kelli Jo Griffin of Montrose is charged with perjury, while the eight individuals from Waterloo are all charged with election misconduct.

If convicted on the charges, Schultz says they could each face up to five years in jail. Schultz, a Republican, became Secretary of State in 2011 and has since directed almost $300,000 in federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds to investigate cases of alleged voter fraud. “We’ve had, I believe, 26 cases so far and we expect more over the next several months,” Schultz says. “I think we’ve shown, if you break the law, we’re going to hold you accountable.”

Schultz is among a group of candidates seeking Iowa’s third district congressional seat, which will be open following the retirement of Republican Tom Latham. Democrats have been critical of Schultz’s use of HAVA funds. Iowa Democratic Party chair Scott Brennan issued a written statement earlier this month saying Schultz has “wasted tens of thousands of taxpayers’ dollars during his time as secretary of state” with voter fraud investigations.

Shultz says these individuals were charged with first-degree election misconduct:

· Robert Anthony, age 56, from Waterloo

· Michelle Bruno, age 39, from Waterloo

· Ricco Cooper, age 39, from Waterloo

· Anthony Greer, age 25, from Waterloo

· Harold Redd Jr., age 48, from Waterloo

· Glen Tank, age 42, from Waterloo

· Philip Thomas, age 29, from Waterloo

· Rosa Wilder, age 49, from Waterloo

A charge of perjury was filed against the following:

· Kelli Jo Griffin, age 40, from Montrose

Anthony, Bruno, Cooper, Greer Redd Jr., Tank, Thomas and Wilder are accused of registering to vote and voting in the 2012 general election while being felons that have not had their voting rights restored. Griffin is accused of registering to vote and voting in the 2013 city election while being a felon that has not had her voting rights restored.