Online voter joke leads to felony charge

Source: Agencies  |   2008-7-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

AN American college student claimed it was all a joke when he put his vote in November's presidential election up for sale on the auction Website eBay. But prosecutors didn't see the humor.

University of Minnesota student Max P. Sanders, 19, was charged with a felony after allegedly asking for a minimum of US$10 in exchange for voting for the bidder's preferred candidate.

"Good luck!" Sanders wrote under the eBay handle zepdrummer612. "You're (sic) country depends on You!"

Sanders was charged with one count of bribery, treating and soliciting under an 1893 state law that makes it a crime to offer to buy or sell a vote.

The Minnesota secretary of state's office learned about the offering on the Website and told prosecutors.

Investigators sent a subpoena to eBay and got information that led to Sanders.

The student told investigators he made the eBay posting, adding: "That was a joke. It's no longer listed."

"We take it very seriously. Fundamentally, we believe it is wrong to sell your vote," said John Aiken, a spokesman for the office. "There are people that have died for this country for our right to vote."

Sanders and his attorney, Steven Levine, declined to comment on Thursday. The charge carries up to five years' imprisonment and a US$10,000 fine. As for the offer on eBay? It got no bids.