"Stolen" Election...What do the Reported Numbers Say?

Does Don Siegelman's allegation that Republicans are guilty of "stealing the election" for Governor in 2002 hold water? Well, let's look at the two sets of results that were reported that night. As I posted yesterday, the initial, erroneous numbers reported from Baldwin County were:

Riley (R) 31,052,
Siegelman (D) 19,070,
Sophocleus (L) 937,
Write-in candidates 119,

for a total of 51,178 votes.

Those results would have put Don Siegelman in the lead statewide. However, 51,178 votes was significantly more than had been cast for any other race on the ballot in Baldwin County*. It exceeded the second-highest vote total, in the race for U.S. Senator, by 14%. Indeed, it was greater than the total number of ballots cast in Baldwin County, period.

*Specifically, there were 44,758 votes cast for U.S. Senator; 44,614 for Lieutenant Governor; 44,282 for Attorney General; 44,015 for Associate Supreme Court Justice; 43,713 for Treasurer; 43,334 for Secretary of State; 43,053 for Auditor; 42,879 for Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, etc. (Source: Alabama Secretary of State's office.)

On the other hand, the certified results for the Governor's race in Baldwin County were:

Riley (R) 31,052,
Siegelman (D) 12,736,
Sophocleus (L) 937,
Write-in candidates 119,

for a total of 44,844 votes. That number matches much more closely to the number of votes cast in the other races. It also does not exceed the total number of ballots cast. These numbers provide a crucial level of verification that the certified vote totals were correct, and significantly undermine the claim that any votes were "stolen."

Still, more proof is needed. The source of the original error is still in question. Where did the extra 6,334 votes for Don Siegelman in the first-reported tally come from? Was it a "computer glitch," an unintentional human error, or something else? Why was Don Siegelman the only candidate who "lost" votes in the process, or was he?

That should give me plenty of bloggin' material for the rest of the week. More tomorrow. Right now...must...have...sleep...zzzz...zzzz...zzzz