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08.27.2008 1:50 pm

Did a computer virus eat Hubbard’s votes?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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While we were neck-deep in convention drama last night, back in St. Louis,  the mother ship reported that State Rep. Rodney Hubbard filed a lawsuit seeking a recount of his narrow loss for State Senate.Rodney Hubbard

But Hubbard is asking for more than just a new tally of his 101 vote loss to State Rep. Robin Wright-Jones. He’s seeking possibly a whole new election.

Hubbard has enlisted the law firm of high-powered barrister Scott Rosenblum to challenge the results of the Democratic primary for the 5th District Senate seat, a race in which Hubbard’s cash advantage and institutional support arguably made him the favorite.

In the suit, filed late Tuesday afternoon, Hubbard cites a number of alleged irregularities:

  • Voters who requested, but did not receive, an absentee ballot
  • About 140 absentee ballots were rejected, “which exceeds statistical norms”
  • Election judges in the 17th Ward not properly filling out ballot information

Hubbard’s suit claims that his workers were prohibited from electioneering outside a precinct in the Third Ward, while Wright-Jones supporters were allowed to stay.

The lawsuit raises questions as well about the accuracy of Diebold voting terminals used in the election, citing “published literature” about problems with the company’s machines.

“An attacker could also install a voting-machine virus — a malicious code that spreads silently from machine to machine during normal election activities,” the suit said.

Hubbard requests that if Secretary of State Robin Carnahan does not order a recount, she call for voters to go back to the polls to revote.

St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Edward Sweeney has ordered a hearing for the case Friday afternoon.

Obviously, overturning the election results poses several challenges to Hubbard, not the least of which is actually serving court papers on Wright-Jones — she is Denver this week at the Democratic Convention.

6 comments

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Buh-ru-ther!

While you P-D guys/gals might be neck-deep in convention drama, this guy’s just plain hip-deep in it, and bein’ a drama queen, to boot.

Buh-ru-ther!

— gaydem
2:30 pm August 27th, 2008

So where was Rep Hubbards legislation to stop the Diebold terminals before he needed a reason for a recount. I recall plenty of people trying to stop the dash for the federal money that came with buying these machines.

The only excuse he hasnt used is Locusts. If one of these was a valid reason, the ONE reason would be enough - he wouldnt need to throw everything at the wall to see what would stick.

— JConnelly
2:51 pm August 27th, 2008

What’s the precedent? How often are these recounts ordered and on what grounds?

— twiggy
3:21 pm August 27th, 2008

what is his proof for his allegation that his people weren’t allowed to electioneer at a poll? All the polls I had were filled with local homeless people that Hubbard paid $70 to to tell people to “vote for Rotney”. He was also kind enough to dress them up in a t-shirt. Maybe if he had real supporters he would not need this recount.

— Richard
5:15 pm August 27th, 2008

Could this guy be any more of a joke?

No… I didn’t think so either.

— Smile
8:15 pm August 27th, 2008

Why should someone install a virus when Diebold machines lose votes on their own. Diebold has finally admitted to the fact that votes can be lost in transferring data to the memory chips.

— Chris C.
7:18 am August 28th, 2008