Fayette man loses second try at claiming that impersonators voted for dead
By Liz Zemba
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, July 31, 2009

A failed candidate for two Fayette County offices has lost his second try at persuading a judge that impersonators voted in place of dead people in the May primary.

A Commonwealth Court judge Wednesday upheld a lower court's dismissal of a civil suit in which Robert "Ted" Pritchard claimed that it was "beyond outrageous" that he received no votes in at least one precinct in Smithfield.

Pritchard, of Fairchance, ran for constable and district judge in the spring primary but lost both races. In a self-filed motion at the county level, he claimed the county Election Bureau's recent purge of inactive voters — including ones who have died — did not occur. The failed purge, he alleged, allowed "impersonators" to use those identities to cast votes.

In addition to a recount, Pritchard wanted a county judge to order election officials to look into his allegations and to determine whether voting machines were tampered with before the election.

Pritchard appealed in Commonwealth Court after Fayette County Judge Gerald R. Solomon denied the petition.

In a ruling handed down Wednesday, Commonwealth Court Senior Judge Rochelle S. Friedman upheld Solomon's decision and denied Pritchard's request to stay the election.


http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/fayette/s_636109.html