Man Arrested After Allegedly Punching Election Judge at Polling Place: Police

An Illinois man was arrested after allegedly punching an election judge after cutting the line at a polling place, authorities said.

Daniel Schmidt, 24, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a victim over 60, two counts of aggravated battery in a public place and five counts of resisting arrest and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, the Orland Park Police Department said in a press release shared on Monday, Nov. 4. 

On Sunday, Nov. 3, at around 11 a.m., officers responded to the Orland Park Township Office on a report of a man “causing a disturbance,” in the voting line, per the statement. When they arrived, they found Schmidt being restrained by multiple people inside the polling place.

Police allege Schmidt entered the building that morning by skipping the line of voters waiting to enter the building. An election judge stationed at the entrance reportedly told Schmidt to go to the back of the line and wait his turn, but he allegedly refused, according to police.

When another election judge who’d been called for help also told Schmidt to move to the back of the line, police allege he tried to push past that election judge and other workers. They blocked Schmidt but he allegedly started yelling profanities and punched the election judge in the face, knocking the person’s glasses off, according to police.

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“At that point several other patrons jumped in and restrained Schmidt until officers arrived,” the release states.

Police said Schmidt was held overnight and brought to Bridgeview Courthouse for a detention hearing. It’s unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.