Ellington

BUDE, Miss. (AP) — The Attorney General's Office has taken over the prosecution in a voting fraud case filed last year against five southwestern Mississippi poll workers.

The Enterprise-Journal of McComb reports that a Republican Party poll watcher and a precinct bailiff had filed charges against the poll workers in Franklin County's Bude precinct after saying that they had witnessed irregularities during the general election in November.

The Attorney General's office stepped in after the county prosecutor and District Attorney recused themselves from the case.

The case led to a challenge in the Senate District 37 race between former Sen. Melanie Sojourner and Bob Dearing, who had a slim lead after the general election. After holding its own hearing, the Senate declared Dearing the winner.