The St. Louis County Election Board has declined to certify the results of the Democratic primary for the 87th State Representative District—which was apparently won by one vote on Aug. 7—because 102 voters were given incorrect ballots, the board announced today. The contest was between two incumbents thrown into the same district by redistricting, state reps. Stacey Newman and Susan Carlson. According to the unofficial results from election night, Newman beat Carlson 1,823 votes to 1,822. However, that outcome now will have to be determined by a circuit court, since the county election board won’t certify the results.
“The election board has launched an investigation into how the voters received the wrong ballots and will report its findings to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office,” the election board said in a written statement. “The County election board board apologizes to the voters and the candidates and will work to ensure that established procedures are followed in future elections,” the statement said.
County election Director Rita Heard Days said the problem stemmed from one polling place, at which voters were supposed to be given one of two different ballots based on where they lived. After the closeness of the Newman-Carlson race, officials reviewed the records and determined that 102 voters who should have voted in the 87th District race had been given the wrong ballots, for the neighboring 83rd District.
Full Article: Ballot snafu puts one-vote-margin state House race in question : Stltoday.