Mr. Marks won 564 more votes at voting booths than his Democratic opponent. But Mr. Stinson won the election by 461 votes after he obtained 80 percent of the 1,757 absentee ballots cast.

26 years later and it looks like the same tactic being used.

Judge Newcomer ruled that the Democratic campaign of William G. Stinson had stolen the election from Bruce S. Marks in North Philadelphia's Second Senatorial District through an elaborate fraud in which hundreds of residents were encouraged to vote by absentee ballot even though they had no legal reason -- like a physical disability or a scheduled trip outside the city -- to do so.