An investigation is now underway to determine if election crimes came into play during last month's bond referendum vote in the Maple Valley School District.
Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney says a "high variance" was noted in one of the voting precincts.
"Staff at the Maple Valley School District received information from various sources that innappropriate and potential illegal influence was being placed on arriving voters by election workers and by citizens who had a specific voting agenda. These citizens had placed themselves in a position to influence arriving voters, and the allegations state that they were within one hundred feet of the polling place while it was open for voting."
The bond referendum to spend 10 million dollars to build a new high school and renovate another school failed by ten votes. Laney says the investigation into this incident is not being taken lightly.
"Obviously, this is a very serious allegation. You know, the democratic process and the voting process is the very foundation of our nation. And we definitely need to make sure the integrity of the election process stays clean and untarnished. And that's why when this was brought to our attention, we initiated an investigation immediately."
Laney says results from the Cass County Sheriff's Department initial report have been turned over to the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.