UNION, Ky. — A lawsuit from one Northern Kentucky metropolis commissioner claims a whole lot of unlawful votes in Boone County modified the result of his race.
Union Metropolis Commissioner Douglas Bine is contesting the outcomes from a November race he misplaced. The 49-page lawsuit claims greater than 500 folks illegally voted in Union Precinct 1 and Union Precinct 4.
“That is actual election irregularity that modified the result of an election,” stated Steven Megerle, Bine’s lawyer. “That they had ran out of ballots at two of the precincts, and that individuals who had been Union metropolis voters got the county poll for unincorporated Boone County as an alternative of their precise Union poll.”
In a assertion launched by Boone County Clerk Justin Crigler final month, Crigler confirmed that “some voters in two precincts had been mistakenly given the unsuitable poll by ballot staff … unintentionally by human error.”
Crigler stated this occurred at two “break up precincts” the place voters from inside and outdoors union metropolis limits vote, and he and his workplace corrected it on election day as quickly as they turned conscious of the difficulty.
He added that the state of affairs is continuous to be investigated, however “the integrity of the election was not compromised.”
Nevertheless, Bine and Megerle say it closely impacted the Union Metropolis Commissioner race.
There have been 5 candidates within the race, with 4 seats accessible. Nevertheless, after the election, commissioner Jeremy Ramage resigned from his position. This now leaves 4 candidates with 4 open seats if there’s a re-election.
“Commissioner Bine, when there have been 5 candidates, he got here in fifth … (4 candidates gained seats), and he solely misplaced by a margin of 65 votes,” Megerle stated.
Xavier College political science professor Mack Mariani independently reviewed the voting tallies for Union Precincts 1 and 4.
He concluded that the minimal variety of voters affected is 518, leading to a minimal of 891 to 1,010 incorrect votes.
I spoke with Crigler on the telephone, who informed me presently he has not been served the lawsuit, so he is not going to make a remark but. He did inform me that after he does obtain the paperwork, he’ll speak.
The lawsuit additionally claims that the Boone County Board of Elections held an unlawful assembly, not giving sufficient discover to the general public. Megerle says at this assembly Crigler and the Board of Elections licensed the election outcomes regardless of the irregularities with votes.
In Crigler’s November assertion, he addressed the questions of why he and the board of elections licensed the election. He said that the straightforward reply was they had been required to by state legislation. However he added that certification doesn’t cease an election contest from being filed.
So what’s the subsequent step now that the lawsuit has been filed?
“There will probably be a trial or listening to in all probability within the subsequent 30 days,” Megerle stated. “We predict that it’s probably that the choose will put aside the election, and order a brand new election.”
Crigler filed a petition for a recount however the courtroom denied his request stating {that a} recount could be “futile” in accordance with Crigler’s assertion.
