Judge voids result of Louisiana sheriff’s election decided by a single vote and orders a new runoff

By SARA CLINE
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A judge has voided the result of a Louisiana sheriff’s election that was decided by a single vote and ordered a new runoff, saying there was evidence of a handful of illegally cast ballots. Democrat Henry Whitehorn was declared the winner in Caddo Parish last month after topping Republican John Nickelson by the slimmest of margins from more than 43,000 ballots cast. But Judge E. Joseph Bleich said in his ruling this week that it was “proven beyond any doubt” that there were at least 11 “illegal votes cast.” It is the country’s second local election this year in which a judge has tossed out the result after a mayoral primary in Connecticut was marred by possible ballot stuffing.