Former MHK seeking to overturn election result

Julie Edge lost her seat in September's election

A former MHK who lost her seat in this year's general election is seeking to have the result overturned.

Julie Edge, who served as Onchan MHK for 10 years, is alleging that significant procedural irregularities occurred during the count and postal vote processes which breached electoral law. 

Her petition to the court claims that 79 verified ballot papers cannot be accounted for, that official election records contain contradictory figures and that candidates were not given chance for a recount to be requested. 

In documents submitted to the court Ms Edge alleges that the notice of result 'incorrectly states the number of voters whose ballot papers were not rejected as 2,618 instead of 2,608'.

She further alleges: "The Notice of Result gives rejection reasons that conflict with the statement of rejected ballot papers. 

"The ballot paper account for Polling Station Conc 2 was altered without date or recorded explanation.

"Candidates were not given a reasonable opportunity to request a recount before the result was declared."

In addition to this, Ms Edge says that postal ballot papers were opened 'without notice to her and without her counting agents present' and that 'the list of rejected postal ballot papers does not record a postal ballot paper that was recorded elsewhere as rejected'. 

Ms Edge says that as a result of this, the election was 'not conducted substantially in accordance with election law' and that 'until the 79 ballot papers are accounted for, it cannot be shown that the irregularities did not affect the result'.

She adds: "The disappearance of 79 verified ballot papers calls into question the integrity of the count and affects all electors in the constituency, not merely the petitioner."

The former MHK is asking the court to investigate and determine the number of ballot papers issued, verified, counted and rejected and determine what happened to the 79 unaccounted ballot papers.

She also wants the court to 'determine that the election was not conducted substantially in accordance with election law and/or that the irregularities affected the result' and to 'declare the election void, declare that Rachel Heather Glover and Rob Edward Callister were not duly elected, and certify that a new election should be held in Onchan'.

The respondent in the claim is Jeremy Callin, the advocate who served as deputy returning officer for Onchan and the Attorney General. 

The case is due to be heard by First Deemster Andrew Corlett on Thursday (29 October).