John Cantey, the Precinct 5 representative on the City Council who won a second term last week, would probably invoke the every-candidate-does-it defense. Sadly, he would have a strong case.

Well, maybe not every candidate, but Cantey, assuming he did so, certainly wouldn’t be the first candidate in this county to befriend a stranger, illegally register that person to vote and then usher him or her to the polls.

This week, there was testimony before the Board of Elections from two teenage mothers who said that is exactly what Cantey did. (If you are looking for victims, these teens, both mothers, might qualify, as their naiveté will probably cost them a roof in public housing.)

The story ends with the Elections Board hearing because — as of now — there has been no written complaint sent to the state Board of Elections, which could investigate and even refer the matter to the county District Attorney’s Office for potential criminal charges.

Given the eventual outcome of the yearlong investigation of allegations of voter fraud in Precinct 7, that would seem a massive waste of everyone’s time.

Voter fraud has always been given a big wink on election days in Robeson County, which is famous for the hauling of voters to the poll sites. As we have said repeatedly, early voting — which certainly has some upside — has only widened the opportunity for fraud in this county, giving candidates two and a half weeks to register voters — perhaps illegally — and drive them to the polls.

Consider that 82 percent of the votes in Precinct 5, which easily boasted the heaviest turnout for last week’s election, were cast during early voting, and the scope of the potential problem becomes apparent.

It was Cantey’s opponent, Pat McRae, who had the councilman squirming on Tuesday. Driven by principle, McRae pushed the case even though Cantey’s margin of victory was so substantial that any claim that Cantey stole the election would be disingenuous. But in at least one sense McRae had the last laugh.

This makes the second straight municipal election that there have been charges of election fraud. We would like to believe that the publicity — and embarrassment — would make candidates pause and think again before pushing the envelope.

But then we are slapped with reality: The next election is the May primary, during which voters will cast ballots for school board members, county commissioners, and a sheriff.