A Bismarck man who authorities say voted twice in the November general election may face a misdemeanor charge.

The 26-year-old man allegedly filled out an absentee ballot weeks before Election Day, then went to the polls, Burleigh County Sheriff's Maj. Nick Sevart said.

The Burleigh County auditor's office discovered the discrepancy during a routine check of the ballots.

The man told investigators that he thought he'd sent his ballot in too early and wanted to make sure his vote was counted. This was the first election the man participated in, and he voted in the wrong precinct.

"We don't suspect he was trying to stuff the ballot box, but we suspect this means that Bush is out and Kerry won," Sevart joked. Sevart said they actually don't know who the man voted for.

The case was forwarded to the Burleigh County state's attorney's office. The name of the man wasn't released because he hasn't been charged with a crime.

The man could be charged with voting more than once, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine, Burleigh County State's Attorney Richard Riha said.

(Reach reporter Mike Albrecht at 250-8261 or cops@ndonline.com.)