Louisiana Supreme Court Justice E. Joseph Bleich declared the results of an incredibly tight 2023 election race null and void on Tuesday.
Democrat Henry Whitehorn seemed to have beaten Republican opponent John Nickelson by a single vote in the Nov. 18 runoff election for the Caddo Parish Sheriff election.
Whitehorn stated in a brief filed with the First Judicial District Court, "The judiciary should not decide elections. Louisiana courts have made it clear that the results of an election are to be disturbed only under extraordinary circumstances where a plaintiff introduces compelling evidence that is sufficient to change the result in the election."
On December 5, he declared the runoff election results null and invalid and ordered a fresh election.
"The tight race shines a spotlight on Louisiana's recount process and its outdated voting machines, which do not produce an auditable paper trail that experts say is critical to ensuring election results are accurate," the Associated Press reported on the race.
Election authorities, notably Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, have argued that the state's elections are secure and that checks and balances are in place to assure election integrity.
The ability to recount ballots was critical in the 2020 election, when numerous battleground states, including Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, undertook recounts or comprehensive reviews of the election results.
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