VA Democrat Councilman Charged With Election Fraud, Illegal Voting

Police arrested a Virginia Democrat this week on felony charges of election and voter fraud.

Blacksburg Town Councilman Liam Watson, a 24-year-old Democrat operative, allegedly committed three counts of election fraud and one count of illegal voting in an election in August 2023, according to online court records. The Montgomery County grand jury “handed up” the charges on Tuesday, and Watson turned himself in to the Virginia State Police (VSP) on Wednesday, according to VSP Public Relations Director Corinne Geller.

“The United States Postal Inspection Service assisted the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation with this matter,” Geller said in an email. “The investigation remains ongoing.”

Watson allegedly “feloniously and intentionally” made false statements or entries last year on his Virginia voter registration application, on a statement of organization candidate committee, and on a declaration of candidacy form, according to indictments obtained by The Federalist. He also allegedly “feloniously and intentionally” voted in an election in which “he was not qualified to vote.”

All of the crimes were allegedly committed in Montgomery County, which contains the town of Blacksburg.

“Watson has served the citizens of Montgomery County in various roles for a number of years and was most recently elected in 2023 in a write in campaign by the citizens of Blacksburg for a seat on the Blacksburg Town Council,” his attorneys said in a statement to a local news outlet. “He is 24 years old, with a heart for public service, and has worked diligently for the citizens who elected him.”

Ian Lichacz, who works for the office of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, told The Federalist the state police approached his office in March.

“In this case back in March VSP came to the AG’s office with evidence and asked for permission to investigate,” Lichacz said, “and the AG’s office approved it.”

The VSP then proceeded to investigate “an allegation of election fraud,” according to Geller. 

Watson was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond for all of the charges, Geller said.

Political Savvy

Watson has an extensive background in Democrat politics. He worked as press secretary for the Democratic Party of Virginia from June 2022 through December 2023, according to LinkedIn, and as a digital specialist for the Democratic Party of Georgia from May to June of 2022. 

The Roanoke Times reported Watson has been employed for close to six months with Sapphire Strategies, which, according to the agency’s website, ​​specializes in “comprehensive digital strategy to help progressive campaigns and causes.” The group has done work for Democrats like former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and former Obama cabinet member Julián Castro, according to its website. Sapphire offers digital get-out-the-vote advertising to “persuade every last on-the-fence voter and turn out every last base Democrat.”

Watson also publicly criticized election security efforts by Republicans.

In an October post on X, Watson accused Virginia’s Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, and state Republicans of “taking actions to undermine voting rights.” The accusation was in response to a New York Times hit piece about grassroots election integrity groups “training poll watchers” and “recruiting election workers.”

In another post last month supporting the efforts of Virginia Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine, Watson touted the importance of “work[ing] to expand early voting access in Montgomery County to ensure that everyone – regardless of zip code – receives every opportunity to make their voice heard.”