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Published Tuesday, May 03, 2005 by seanlmccarthy | E-mail this post

AMERICAN IDOL PETITION: Upward of 36,000 American Idol fans have signed an online petition demanding a recount of Fox's top-rated nationwide singing contest. Kristie Layne Womick, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of South Carolina, submitted the petition last week after her favorite contestant, Constantine Maroulis, got the boot.
Womick said yesterday she tried e-mailing and calling Fox directly.
"I don't really think they're going to do anything,'' Womick said. "It's just getting our voice out there that matters.''
The Herald has received e-mails from across North America (yes, we heard you in Winnipeg!) demanding accountability and complete voting results from Fox. Maureen Halasovski wrote that power dialers are stuffing the ballot boxes for false Idols.
One Web site, votefortheworst.com, has encouraged everyone to vote early and often for Scott Savol: "Why bother voting for someone talented when this show can be so much more fun to watch?''
Fox has yet to respond to the petition, the worst-vote movement or the call to release individual vote counts.
The final five contestants perform at 8 tonight on WFXT-TV (Ch. 25). A results show airs tomorrow on Fox, followed by ABC's special Primetime Live investigation into the show.

Related: Hotline: Voting strikes sour note with `American Idol' fans (Boston Herald)