Gingrich's fraud claim may not matter for Virginia ballot

By: Aaron Martin | WSLS
Published: December 30, 2011

ROANOKE, VA --

Republican presidential hopeful New Gingrich is blaming election fraud by a former campaign worker for not getting on Virginia’s primary ballot.

“It was just a mistake,” Gingrich told CNN while campaigning in Iowa Wednesday night. “We hired somebody who turned in false signatures. We turned in 11,100; we needed 10,000 and 1500 of them were by one guy who frankly committed fraud.”

But a representative with the Virginia Board of Elections told 10 On Your Side on Friday that they haven’t been notified of any alleged fraud.

The board added that even if election fraud did occur, it is unlikely Gingrich’s name would be placed on the primary ballot.

That’s because the board considers the election fraud allegations and Gingrich not being on the ballot two separate issues, and in the end Gingrich did not turn in 10,000 valid signatures.

Former Roanoke County Republican Party Chairman and current political science professor at Hollins University Ed Lynch said this is a problem Gingrich could have avoided.

"I think it's a problem that some major candidates won't be represented here in Virginia,” Lynch said. “But it's not Virginia's fault, it's not the Republican Party's fault. 10,000 signatures in a state with 7 million people is not a big deal."

A lawsuit has been filed on Gingrich’s behalf in the Commonwealth to get the candidate back on the primary ballot, but that is separate from the election fraud allegations.

Only Mitt Romney and Ron Paul turned in enough valid signatures to get on March 6’s Republican Primary Ballot.