WEST MEMPHIS, AR - Voter fraud in Crittenden County, that's what Arkansas State Police are investigating.
They’re looking into a Democratic primary run-off between Kim Felker and Hudson Hallum two months ago.
Only a few votes separated the two, now early voting is underway for the general election.
Those accusations of voter fraud center around absentee ballots taken to the Crittenden County Courthouse.
The only problem is some voters say those ballots never made it. A few of those that did were changed.
“They was hustling for votes. They weren't professional or anything. They was hustling votes,” Macy Johnson said describing Hudson Hallum’s campaign workers.
She claims men from his campaign bullied her for her absentee ballot. When she wouldn't cave, she claims one of Hallum's campaign workers took the blank ballot.
“I know I didn't vote so he had to fill it out,” she said.
“And that vote turned out for who?” abc24.com asked.
“Hudson Hallum,” she replied
Macy Johnson isn’t alone.
According to documents from the Second District Prosecuting Attorney, similar stories were reported about voting irregularities in the Democratic primary run-off election.
Hallum barely won the face-off against his opponent Kim Felker, 890 votes against her 882.
But the absentee votes went overwhelmingly in Hallum's favor. He had 401 to Felker’s 69.
abc24.com caught up with Hallum at the Crittenden County Courthouse and talked with him about the investigation and the allegations against his campaign workers.
Hallum: “As far as what they're doing we don't know. Out on the ground, I'm not out there with them. I would like to think that's not going on in this election.”
ABC24: “But since you don't know, there's a possibility the people working on your campaign may actually have committed voter fraud.”
Hallum: “Well I can't say one way or another what anybody is doing when I'm not there with them so I wouldn't want to say whether they did something like that or not.”
In the meantime, voters like Macy Johnson are saying it for him. “If my vote appeared at the courthouse as if I voted and I didn't vote, that was breaking the law,”
Sooner or later the truth will come out.
ABC24 contacted Arkansas State Police but they say they cannot comment because the investigation is still open.
Kim Felker would not comment fearing backlash from the Democratic party in Crittenden County.
The general election for Arkansas District 54 seat is July 12, 2011.
