Merasty Goes On Offensive In Election Spat

Merasty Goes On Offensive In Election Spat

Thursday, January 26, 2006 at 15:25

Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River MP-elect Gary Merasty says he’s saddened by the allegations surrounding his election win Monday night.

Merasty says the allegations of ballot box stuffing and intimidation that are coming from defeated MP Jeremy Harrison are not only false, but insulting to himself and the Liberal Party of Canada.

Merasty says at no time did Liberal volunteers have access to ballots.

He says they couldn’t secure enough volunteers to assume polling clerks roles, and his camp didn’t have enough scrutineers to be at every poll, either.

Merasty also claims the returning officer in the riding has advised him that she appointed all deputy returning officers on the recommendation of Harrison.

As well, Merasty says Harrison’s assertion that some reserves showed voter turnout of 100 per cent or more is the result of a large number of unregistered voters being registered and voting on the day of the election.