The Bermuda Public Service Union is being forced to hold a re-election for second vice president after the losing candidate claimed foul play.

St. Brendan?s nurse Elizabeth Perret lost to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital nurse Maxine Herbert-Watson by 81 votes in the March ballot.

Mrs. Perret said the ballot paper should have listed her as Busby-Perret to reflect her maiden name, even though she has only used her married surname for the last 20 years on the BPSU membership forms.

Her gripe over the ballot name was booted out by the election committee, along with a second challenge by Mrs. Busby-Perret that Mrs. Herbert-Watson registered after business hours. It was found her nomination had been accepted well before close of nominations. understands the union?s lawyers ruled there was a breach of union rules in not allowing Mrs. Busby-Perret to use her full name on the ballot.

She felt the full name would have helped garner support from King Edward VII Hospital where she used to work 20 years ago.

However, one union member told the candidate never used the hyphened name on any of her election literature nor had she introduced herself at membership meetings of the 15 divisions as Busby-Perret.understands some members fear a re-run will split the union between foreigners and locals ? some of whom were annoyed that Mrs. Herbert-Watson, an expatriate now divorced from a Bermudian, had beaten the local candidate.

The source said the situation was a first for the BPSU.

?As members came to vote they saw all the candidates and could have changed their minds. What a mess.?

Yesterday, Mrs. Busby-Perret said she couldn?t comment on the matter. She said: ?We are in the middle of discussions. I am not at liberty to say anything right now.?

Some in the union are puzzled she waited until after the election to lodge the complaint about her name and to protest about Mrs. Herbert-Watson?s nomination form.

Another election has been ordered for either April or May but could see other candidates enter the field.

The ballot re-run will cause logistical problems with union members again needing time off work to oversee the election.

BPSU General Secretary Ed Ball declined to comment and said a Press release was forthcoming.