Scarborough Loses Protest, Appeal To House Likely
South Carolina’s Election Commission has refused to grant State Rep. Wallace Scarborough (R-Charleston) a new election in his race against Democrat Anne Peterson-Hutto, paving the way for a possible appeal to the S.C. House of Representatives.
Scarborough is alleging that at least 365 votes were improperly cast in the November 4 election for House District 115, which is more than Peterson-Hutto’s 211-vote margin.
Nearly 18,000 ballots were cast in the contentious race, meaning the candidates are currently separated by just 1% of the vote.
Scarborough has ten days to decide whether or not to appeal the Commission’s ruling, which we suspect he will ultimately decide to do.
As politically-charged as a reversal of the Election Commission’s ruling by the House of Representatives would be, Scarborough’s attorneys have raised some interesting points in their petition.
Specifically, if voters who lived outside of the district cast ballots, that’s obviously illegal and would constitute grounds for a new election.
We also spoke with several Representatives yesterday who said that they were inclined to grant Scarborough a new election in the event he appeals to the House.
Developing …
Comments
By Bill on December 4th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Anyone that thinks our election commissions have a clue about what a fair, accurate election is themsleves….clueless.
The State Commission, and the locals, are full of the worst type of government employees…long timers that just plod through without caring. I don’t give a hoot about Wallace S…but there is no doubt that the election was a mess. They all are.
By Ju on December 4th, 2008 at 7:50 am
No reason to keep another puppet around.
By Silence the Noise on December 4th, 2008 at 9:04 am
When you garner less votes than your opponent then you lose…..same as if you score less runs than the other guy and the game ends……figured I needed to explain that so that….
If the House hears some gay appeal from the Adulter-er-in-Chief (which last time we checked….sex with animals is a crime) then Bobbys fate will certainly be sealed.
So here’s to you Mr. Speaker, please hear this appeal and put another of your “fluffers” back in power by means of questionable leagality.
By rick on December 4th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Silence: Are you saying that IF people who did not live in the district were allowed to vote that it is perfectly fine? Ignore, as I am, that it is Wallace for a moment. The elections have to be conducted according to the law and if it is documented that more people voted illegally than the margin of defeat than there is a huge problem. So, if that ok with you then we’ll just let it happen in a few more races, ok?
By Jim on December 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Rick – Scarborough couldn’t prove any votes were cast by improper voters, which is why not one member of the Republican controlled Election Commission voted to uphold his challenge.
He didn’t even bother to contact these people or give them due process.
This is a joke. Even appealing it to the House would be a joke and an embarrassment.
By Darkknight on December 4th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Hmmm sounds like the Franken – Coleman race – in reverse.
By Veni Vidi Vici on December 4th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Sic- I would reconsider the photo. Augustus lived a simple and frugal life. He was also a very religious and family-oriented man. He held a strict moral code. In fact he had his only child Julia, exiled from Rome for not being faithful in her marriage.
By Crooner on December 4th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Peterson-Hutto is hotter than Palin.
By Republican Swamp Fox on December 4th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Lockland must love the fact another race might happen. More money and another chance to go Atwater on Scarbourgh. The rising star of the Democratic Party Hit machine is ready to roll I am sure.
By Silence the Noise on December 4th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Agustus had an excuse for not wearing socks….
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