Migrant rights group demands ‘American Idol’ vote tally

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LOS ANGELES, California – A non-profit group promoting migrant rights asked the producer of “American Idol” on Friday (Saturday in Manila) to reveal how many votes were cast for each of the top two finalists “in the spirit of transparency and public trust.”

“We deserve to know the entire process, including the information as to how the board of auditors conduct(ed) the tallying of scores,” said the Washington DC-based Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) in a letter to Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of the top-rated reality singing competition.

MHC demanded a tally of the record-breaking 132 million votes cast by phone, text and online for Filipino-Mexican Jessica Sanchez of California and Phillip Phillips of Georgia.

The letter, dated May 25, was signed by MHC executive directors Arnedo Valera, Grace Valera-Jaramillo and Jesse Gatchalian.

Phillips won “American Idol” on Wednesday, becoming the fifth male singer in a row to take the title and a guaranteed recording contract. He beat Sanchez, who was thought to have the edge after dominating social media and Twitter mentions in the last few days.

MHC, a nonprofit organization that promotes cultural diversity, actively campaigned for Sanchez.