Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005 | 9:25 a.m.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A judge tossed out Tuesday a lawsuit filed by gambling opponents alleging fraud in the petition drive that put a South Florida slot machine proposal on the November ballot -- and ultimately in the state constitution.
Circuit Judge Nikki Ann Clark sided with the sponsors of the petition drive and dismissed the lawsuit, which had been scheduled for trial later this month.
Clark wrote that courts can overturn the results of an election only when there is evidence of fraud in the election itself, not in events leading up to the election, like petition drives.
Opponents had alleged that thousands of signatures submitted by the slots campaign were forged -- including signatures from at least three dozen dead people.
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