Another Bergman Witch Hunt

Police looking into alleged voter fraud in Cahokia village board races
Absentee ballots decided 3 Cahokia Village Board races
BY GEORGE PAWLACZYK AND BETH HUNDSDORFER

Belleville News-Democrat - May 1, 2009

Lopsided absentee vote totals during the April 7 election in three races for the Village Board are the focus of an investigation by the Cahokia Police Department, according to St. Clair County State's Attorney Robert Haida.

"There have been allegations of anomalies regarding absentee ballots and I understand Cahokia police are investigating those allegations," Haida said. "I am supportive of any local law enforcement investigating criminal misconduct including vote fraud that occurs within their venue."

Absentee votes may be cast by any registered voter who prefers to vote by mail. Absentee ballots are often delivered by mail.

"This is aggravating because this shouldn't happen in the United States," said Cahokia Police Chief Rick Watson, who added that it is the first time he has been involved with investigating alleged vote fraud in his 30-year law enforcement career.

And Cahokia Mayor Frank Bergman, who votes only to break ties, saw the make up of his six-member Village Board change with the addition of three newcomers who won in April and will be seated next week, said village police will employ a professional handwriting expert to examine signatures on absentee ballots to determine if the intended voter was the person who actually signed.

Bergman said that in District 4, challenger Kyle Johnson garnered "600 percent" more absentee votes than President Barack Obama did in the November election.

"That is just phenomenal. It's unheard of," Bergman said.

Said Johnson: "I did not nothing improper. I welcome an investigation. As a write-in candidate, I (also) won at the polls. I didn't need absentee ballots. ... This is just another of Mayor Bergman's witch hunts."

Vote tabulations at the election department of the St. Clair County Clerk's Office showed that the poll voting, or persons who went to an official polling place to cast their ballot, saw Johnson defeat incumbent Rob Eden by a tally of 149 to 131.

But absentee voting played a major role in the village trustee races, according to computer vote printouts.

The computer information showed that in Cahokia District 4, Johnson defeated Eden by an overall vote of 482 to 155 that also includes early voting ballots, where individuals were allowed to vote at the county office building before Election Day, and ballots from nursing homes.

A breakdown of the absentee balloting revealed that Johnson won 328 of 355 absentee ballots cast or 92 percent. Johnson became a write-in candidate after challenges to his voting petitions spearheaded by Bergman knocked him off the regular ballot.

"There have never been that many absentees in District 4 before," Eden said.

In the District 6 trustee race, Phyllis Pearson defeated incumbent Gloria McCoy by a single vote, 216 to 215.

An analysis of the absentee balloting in that contest shows Pearson edged McCoy 54 percent to 45.8 percent. In Precincts 21 and 24, where 81 of the total of 126 absentee ballots were cast, Pearson won 86 percent of the absentees.

"I didn't actually lose," McCoy said. Pearson could not be reached for comment.

In District 3, where challenger Trevon Tompkin defeated incumbent Dennis "Seadog" Phillips by an overall vote of 250 to 179, the absentee balloting showed a final tally of 145 to 32.