Former Atlantic City Council President Craig Callaway Seen Leading Election Efforts Ahead of Fraud Sentencing

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Former City Council President Craig Callaway, who is awaiting sentencing on federal voter fraud charges, has recently been spotted participating in election-related activity around Atlantic County. Callaway, who pleaded guilty in February to a scheme involving fraudulent vote-by-mail ballots during the 2022 general election, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8. He faces up to five years in prison. The sentencing was originally set for June 17, but Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Bumb recently moved the date without explanation. Despite his conviction, Callaway has been observed near polling places and the county election offices. Witnesses say he has also been seen transporting ballot messengers, a role tied directly to the illegal practices he admitted to in court.
At one point this week, Callaway’s car reportedly broke down outside a county election office and needed a jump-start. It is not yet known which candidates he may be supporting, though contested races are underway in Atlantic City and Northfield. The conditions of Callaway’s release bar him from breaking the law but do not explicitly prohibit his involvement in get-out-the-vote efforts. In 2023, a Superior Court judge permanently banned him from serving as a ballot assister, citing concerns raised by county election attorneys over past conduct. Callaway previously served nearly four years in prison after being convicted in a separate bribery case. His continued presence at election sites has raised fresh concerns among local observers as the primary season unfolds.