It’s one of the basic elements of democracy: the people vote. But some people are now saying that two years ago, your vote on one local issue didn’t count as you intended.

The allegations are serious, involving the vote counting after the 2006 election which authorized the Regional Transportation Authority. It increased the sales tax by a half-cent, but members of the Pima County Democratic Party allege they have evidence that proves the RTA plan never passed.

“We have credible evidence from the mouth of the computer operator who said that he rigged it,” says Bill Risner, the lead attorney in the case. The only evidence is an affidavit, a statement from a man who says the computer operator of the Pima County Elections Division told him at a bar on First Avenue he, quote, “fixed” the RTA election because his bosses told him to.

Brad Nelson, director of Pima County Elections, denies allegations of fraud. “I did not tell anyone to rig this election,” he says. Pima County Democrats, who at the time supported the RTA plan, now want ballots recounted.

About 120,000 ballots are sitting in the treasurer’s office that could be destroyed, but the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors says the County would be happy to recount them. “They are the ultimate evidence, and I think they should be counted,” says Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias.

Shelly Welch is a Pima County employee, but does not work in the Elections Department. “The people I worked with, and the people I work for, have always shown a lot of integrity in just doing the right thing, and being of service to the community,” she says.

Pima County Democrats have now called on the state Attorney General’s Office to investigate and decide whether or not to recount ballots. When the RTA election was held in May of 2006, the County reported that the sales tax portion passed, 57% to 43%.