Candidate who narrowly lost bid for state Senate seat alleges ballots were mishandled

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A state Senate candidate who lost in the general election by 116 votes is alleging ballots were mishandled and possibly changed by election workers.

Former state Rep. Matt LoPresti said the precinct captain from Ilima Intermediate School told him that ballots that piled up while the scanner was not working were carelessly stored and had to be flattened out by elections workers.

He said that raises the possibility that some were altered.

A spokeswoman for the state elections division confirmed that the scanner at Ilima was out of commission at the beginning of voting, but said it was quickly replaced and ballots were not mishandled.

LoPresti did not comment further on the complaint, which he filed Monday with the state Supreme court.

He is asking for an investigation into possible fraud and a hand recount of the ballots.

LoPresti lost in the general election to Republican opponent Kurt Fevella.

Fevella is now the lone Republican in the state Senate.

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