Scarborough challenges election results
By Robert Behre
State Rep. Wallace Scarborough is challenging his Nov. 4 election loss, arguing that more than 700 voters illegally cast ballots. That's about three times more than the 211-vote margin of victory for Democratic challenger Anne Peterson Hutto.
Her campaign manager, Mike Meehan, said Scarborough risks going down as a sore loser and "has baselessly accused hundreds of James Island and Folly Beach residents of committing a crime, simply so he can undo an election whose outcome he dislikes."
Previous stories
Hutto ousts Scarborough; Democrat claims victory with 205-vote margin, published 11/06/08
Scarborough faces newcomer Hutto, published 11/02/08
But Scarborough's attorney, Butch Bowers of Columbia, said he thinks Scarborough's protest has a strong chance of success "because I think the evidence will show that enough votes were cast illegally to cast the election outcome in doubt."
Bowers formerly served as chairman of the State Election Commission, which is expected to hear the protest appeal early next month.
Scarborough's protest claims:
--At least 494 votes were cast by voters who had moved outside House District 115.
--At least 185 votes were cast by voters who had moved to a new precinct within District 115 but did not cast a fail-safe ballot, as required.
--And that there were at least 27 more votes cast in the James Island 5B precinct than voters who signed the poll list there.
The protest doesn't cite any voter names.
Scarborough, a Republican who was seeking his fifth two-year term, is seeking to have the Nov. 4 results tossed out and a new election held.
His protest doesn't need to show how the 700 votes in question were cast, only that they were improperly added to the total. Three years ago, Charleston County Councilwoman Colleen Condon filed a successful protest to overturn the results of her District 7 election loss because a few hundred voters were left off the roles — more voters than the ultimate margin of victory.
Bowers said before he stepped down from the commission, he presided over a handful of similar cases. "These are not novel issues," he said.
Charleston County's state lawmakers were scheduled to get sworn in Monday, but that meeting has been postponed.
County Delegation Chairman Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston, did not return a message left Tuesday about the reason for the delay and when a new date might be set.
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JIgrad (anonymous) says...
So, we didn't vote for Wallace and now we are all criminals?
Poor Wallace, he's lost it.
November 13, 2008 at 12:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weeeee (anonymous) says...
Get real. If you thought your challenger won the election by fraudulent means, you'd challenge the results too.
November 13, 2008 at 11:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
Lets see, he doesn't like the result - he tries to steal it?
The republicans are losing it. Calling the voters in the district CRIMINALS.... will the criminal voters remember the republicans called them criminals when Csampsen comes up or McConnel?
November 13, 2008 at 12:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jim_Isle (anonymous) says...
Did you READ the story? It's Hutto's guy who made a criminal charge. And, since mkris doesn't seem to live here, both Campsen and McConnell were on the ballot this year. This seems like an advanced case of letting your fingers do the talking before your brain is in gear.
November 13, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zoomru (anonymous) says...
Wallace.....
NO effort made to get private companies to install Plasma machines on James Island or Folly to generate tax revenue instead of sending our Trash to Bees Ferry Landfill!!!
Watch this.....
http://startech.net/vp/index.html
No effort in getting private windfarm companiess to install turbines to generate OUR OWN electricity and tax revenue from OUR WIND..!!
Read this....
http://selsam.com/
No effort in getting private bio-desiel FARMERS on James Island to install bio-desiel production to generate OUR OWN desiel and tax revenue for OUR JICHS Buses..!!
Watch this... http://cc.pubco.net/www.valcent.net/i...
Its the energy....Wallace !!! and Anne P Hutto !!!
We are in the shape we are in because of the LACK of forward thinking !!!
November 13, 2008 at 2:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
Seems to me Jim-Isle -- You can cut Scarbourogh's charges only one way ... he's accusing 700 voters in the district of voter fraud. Sure Campson and McConnel are in for thier term, but the Charleston County Republicans seem really desperate if they're accusing 700 James Island voters of FRAUD.... just to save lil' wally.
I think James Isl voters will remember Scarbourogh's accusations that the residents of James Island are CRIMINALS>
November 13, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JIgrad (anonymous) says...
It is clearly Wallace Scarborough accusing these people of being criminals. I'm sure many will file a lawsuit for slander against him. You just can't go around accusing people of criminal acts (which voter fraud is one) with no proof or evidence.
November 13, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
I don't live in the district, didn't vote in this race, but I'll add that at first glace, with the specific numbers of specific discrepancies, it sounds as if Scarborough may be in the right on this one. For all we know at this point, all of the alleged illegally cast ballots may have been FOR Scarborough. Who the votes were cast for doesn't matter. All he has to do is prove that they were cast illegally and the election results will be thrown out.
I would imagine that if you audited each and every vote for each and every race you'd find countless votes that were cast illegally. Not by intent, but illegal just the same. The difference is that this race was close enough where auditing might make a difference. If his loss in the election was valid, he'd still lose a special election
.
November 13, 2008 at 3:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JIgrad (anonymous) says...
ColdBud,
Scarborough hasn't produced a single name. Why? Because he's got nothing. As soon as specific people find out that he's accused them of voter fraud, the lawsuits will begin.
November 13, 2008 at 5:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
No names, but he's accusing James Island residents of voter fraud! That can't be good for the republican party. Its desperate and shows they think they have to steal elections to win. Very sad when lil' wally can push the party around.
November 13, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SCHSKR (anonymous) says...
I like how the usual lines are being thrown out about "stealing" elections by these partisan morons... Just a shot in the dark, but if people who were not supposed to vote in the district did vote, wouldn't that be reason enough to go over the results of the election? Wouldn't that be the responsible thing to do? Wouldn't it be "stealing" an election for one side or the other if they did NOT make sure the vote was legit? I honestly could care less about these two candidates, but isn't it important to make sure that our elections are legit? And honestly, who would be stupid enough to sue if they actually did vote in the wrong district?
November 13, 2008 at 9:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JIgrad (anonymous) says...
SCHSKR - Then tell Wallace to release the names of those who "broke the law."
Wallace won't give names, he's just making outrageous charges with no names and no proof. Without names, there is no proof and no case.
November 13, 2008 at 11:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
No names equals a desperate republican party.
November 14, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SCHSKR (anonymous) says...
I'm sure if it comes down to it you'll get names... at least they are not desperately creating votes like the Dem's up in Minnesota...
November 14, 2008 at 6:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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