HENDERSONVILLE – A Hendersonville man has been arraigned in federal court on a charge that he voted in both North Carolina and Alabama during the 2024 general election, federal prosecutors said.
A one-count indictment charges Forrest Scott Woody, 68, with voting more than once in the same election. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama said Woody appeared in federal court during the week of Oct. 5.
Prosecutors allege Woody first cast a ballot in Henderson County, North Carolina, and later voted in Calhoun County, Alabama. The indictment concerns the November 2024 general election.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Alabama secretary of state’s office, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Janich is prosecuting the case.
WBRC independently reported the arraignment and the allegation that Woody voted in the two states. The Justice Department later included the case in an Oct. 12 national announcement describing election-related charges against 16 people. The U.S. attorney and FBI officials said in the release that they viewed the prosecution as part of their responsibility to enforce election law and safeguard lawful votes.
The charge is an allegation, not a finding of guilt. Woody is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The indictment does not establish that any election result was affected, and the Justice Department announcement did not say the alleged votes changed the outcome of a race.
The case has a direct North Carolina connection because the alleged first ballot was cast in Henderson County. Federal prosecutors did not identify the specific contests on either ballot in their public release.
The Justice Department described the matter as part of a broader election-crimes enforcement effort. The department’s national announcement included cases involving several different types of alleged conduct, while the charge against Woody is limited to the allegation that he voted more than once in one election.
Sources
- U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama arraignment release, Oct. 8
- WBRC report on the arraignment and indictment, Oct. 8
- Justice Department national election-crimes announcement, Oct. 12
Photo Credit: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama via Federal Judicial Center, public domain.
Editor’s Note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.