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MBTA Investigating Possible Voter Fraud In Train Design Contest

BOSTON (AP) — An online contest to allow customers to select the exterior paint designs of the MBTA's new subway trains and trolleys has been derailed by evidence of voter fraud.

A spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority says the agency is looking into "some irregular voting patterns." The T is also asking the company that ran the contest to investigate.

MBTA-Design-Orange-Line-Winner
Chosen Orange Line design (Courtesy: MBTA)

The agency received 175,000 votes over a two-week period that ended Nov. 3. The results were announced Tuesday.

Among the issues were a disproportionately large number of votes cast for the Green and Red line train designs, and hundreds of votes from the same IP address. Vote totals also spiked late in the process.

MBTA-Design-Red-Line-Winner
Chosen Red Line design. (Courtesy: MBTA)

T spokesman Joe Pesaturo says the results are "in abeyance" until the matter has been resolved.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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