About that special election this Friday, September 16 ...
It's on.
Agreeing with activist Bruce Franks Jr., the Missouri Appellate Court ruled today that "irregularities of sufficient magnitude" meant that a revote would be necessary to the determine the winner of the Democratic primary for the 78th Missouri House District.
Voters in the district, which stretches from north St. Louis to parts of Cherokee Street, Lafayette Square and Soulard, will cast ballots this Friday to determine whether Franks or incumbent State Rep. Penny Hubbard is the Democratic Party winner (and, in light of the district's near-total Democratic populace, gets to represent the district in Jefferson City).
The decision is another big victory for attorney David Roland, who beat back for a second time attorney Jane Dueker, who is representing Hubbard (D-St. Louis). Dueker had argued that elderly and disabled voters would be disenfranchised if the previous September 2 election results were thrown out.
The appeals court disagreed, writing,
Ordering a special election to replace the results of the original, improperly conducted election does not prevent qualified voters from casting a vote.…