Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Lindy Blanchard has requested to be removed from a lawsuit in which she and the other defendants claimed voting machines in Alabama were compromised.
Blanchard and State Rep. Tommy Hanes (R-Bryant) initially filed the suit on May 19, five days before the Alabama primary election. The complaint was amended on June 9 to add Focus on America and Dr. David Calderwood, M.D. to the plaintiffs. Blanchard is the only plaintiff to have requested removal from the suit.
The suit alleged that Alabama's current electronic voting machines were "unsecure and fatally compromised" for many reasons and have been "wrongfully certified." The lawsuit also requested that officials in charge of the November election collect and count all the votes by hand.
Blanchard did not give a reason for her request to withdraw from the suit, and she did not immediately respond to inquiries from 1819 News.
Blanchard requested the withdrawal on August 12, not long before former Gov. Don Siegelman (D) entered a declaration supporting the lawsuit.
Siegelman lost his reelection by a very narrow vote in 2002 against then-Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob Riley.
Siegelman claimed that computer issues were the cause of his loss after an alleged computer glitch removed over 6,000 votes in Baldwin County. Siegelman has long maintained that his loss came from electronic voting manipulation and an "illegal" vote certification at the hands of the then Attorney General, William H. Pryor Jr.
Siegelman said in his declaration, "Despite the evidence of possible electronic vote manipulation where an injustice was suffered by our democracy and the people of Alabama, there was never an official investigation nor governmental inquiry into the inexplicable differing vote tabulations affecting the outcome of the governor's race in 2002.
"For our democracy to work, everyone who is entitled to vote should be able to vote. Secondly, we must have confidence in the outcome of our elections. We can't point fingers at Russians and declare meddling in our elections without being willing to have an audit of our own elections when properly challenged."
Blanchard was endorsed by Mike Lindell, who has crusaded on accusations of voter fraud, especially in Alabama. Lindell has intentionally gone after Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill for his part in certifying the 2020 presidential election.
Merrill has denied that Alabama's voting machines, all of which are manufactured by Election Systems and Software (ESS), were insecure or could be compromised. He has also alleged Lindell has "no credibility" on the issue.
"In my time as Secretary of State, I have been sued 27 times, and I am 27 and 0 in those lawsuits. This one will make me 28 and 0," Merrill told the 1819 News, arguing that the suit has no merit.
The case is currently awaiting the ruling on a dismissal motion filed by Attorney General Steve Marshall.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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