Carmine Mattia, who lost to local legend Marie Strumolo-Burke a week ago by 135 votes, doesn’t believe the contest was fair.

In fact, that’s an understatement.

“I think they cheated,” the First Ward challenger told Insider iLine.  “I think the county screwed up. I think this was an aborion of an election.”

He doesn’t want the county to shoulder all the blame, though; in fact, not even really most of it. Still, he said a house vacant since 2015 across the street from his opponent upchucked a ballot in favor of Strumolo-Burke.

What was with that?

“It was not a fair election,” Mattia said. “We have to look at 60 ballots, then the ballots that came in over the weekend. The Post Office is a week behind.”

And other things too – like Team Strumolo-Burke’s movements, he said, as he pondered a recount challenge.