A onetime candidate for Sangamon County board has been indicted on charges of perjury and forgery.

The attorney general’s office says Donald Anderson, 44, knowingly submitted fake signatures on his candidacy petitions to the county clerk’s office. He withdrew the petitions before the 2024 election.

“Any candidate for public office in Illinois must follow election law, which starts with obtaining genuine signatures from members of your community,” Raoul said in a news release. “Individuals who aspire to serve the public in elected office cannot violate the public’s trust from the outset, and I appreciate the work of the Springfield Police Department in investigating this case.”

“The election process is one of the most integral components of identifying leaders in our communities,” Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette said in the same release. “Those who seek election must demonstrate moral turpitude, both during elections and once in office. Mr. Anderson violated this sacred tradition in an attempt to defraud the constituents. As demonstrated in this investigation, the Springfield Police Department remains committed to thorough investigations which result in justice being fairly administered.”

Anderson’s next court date is July 31.