Hope Whitehead, who was narrowly beat in the race to retain her state representative seat in the Aug. 3 primary, filed a suit today that claims she was beat through foul play.
Whitehead claims that Brian Wahby, chairman of the Democratic Central Committee, issued credentials to her challenger, Karla May, that authorized May to “place unlawful challengers in the 1st Ward” on Aug. 3.
May won the primary election by 33 votes, a margin of 50.6 to 49.4 percent, a margin of 1 percent. By contrast, in the 1st Ward May won by a margin of 24 percent (352 votes to 216) – 23 percent higher than May’s overall winning margin in the district.
Whitehead claims that May was not qualified to act as a poll challenger because her name was on the ballot and because she is not a qualified member of the Democratic Central Committee.
Poll challengers have the authority to prevent a voter from voting. In a press conference before the Civil Courts Building in Downtown St. Louis today, Whitehead said that voters were turned away from the polls in the 1st Ward. She called for an investigation into which voters were turned away, why and by whom.
“The unlawful challengers, under color of law, were in a position to interfere with voting procedure, use any election board precinct sheets or materials, challenge the qualifications of any person authorized to vote, and interfere with the orderly process of voting,” Whitehead says in her petition to contest the election.
Her petition claims that Wahby admitted to issuing the credentials to May at a Democratic Central Committee meeting after the election. Joe Palm, who attended a committee meeting on Tuesday, August 17, said Wahby “admitted giving credentials to someone other than who was authorized by law” and apologized to 1st Ward Committeewoman Sharon Tyus, who was the proper authority for the ward.
Contacted by The American, Wahby said he would respond after reading the filing. May was contacted at work and said she was in a conference call and would return the call, which she did not immediately do.
Whitehead’s complaint asks that the Court set a hearing to consider the matter, order the Secretary of State “to reexamine and count all rejected absentee and provisional ballots and to count all improperly rejected ballots.” She also asked that the Court order a new primary election.
Her complaint puts a spotlight on Wahby in his role as local Democratic Party functionary, just as he is helping to lead an effort to bring the national party, the Democratic National Committee, to St. Louis for its 2012 convention.
The complaint also calls for Secretary of State Robin Carnahan to consider a piece of Democratic infighting as she is engaged in a race for the U.S. Senate and needs her party’s full support, particularly in the Democratic urban stronghold of St. Louis.
There also is an irony that Whitehead pointed out in her public remarks before filing suit. The seat has a recent history of corruption and scandal. The contested seat is the 57th District in Missouri. Whitehead won the seat in a special election following an appointment by committee insiders. The seat became open abruptly when T.D. El-Amin resigned and pleaded guilty to bribery. He currently is serving an 18-month term in federal prison.
