However, the Terra Nova 1497-1949, Newfoundlanders for Democracy  Committee, is likely out of luck. According to the provincial archives, the ballots no longer exist.

"They must have them at the archives," said Jason Crummey, spokesman for   the committee, which so far has six members. But he admitted the committee hasn't researched the ballots' whereabouts. "No we haven't dug too deeply, but we'd be willing to settle for another
 referendum. "We're not against Confederation. We are for democracy. There's so any rumors going around about whether this was rigged or not," Crummey said.

The committee planned a procession for noon today, the 50th anniversary of the July 22, 1948 referendum, and will march from Supreme Court steps to Colonial Building, hoisting a cardboard coffin.

"We're going to have a small procession to symbolize the darkest day in the history of Newfoundland," Crummey said.

The committee is petitioning Lt.-Gov. Max House to use his residual powers to order the recount.

However electoral ballots aren't routinely kept. The electoral act, as it exists  now, says they are to be destroyed after a year. "It's almost like a statute of limitations. One year after the event, that's it," said chief electoral officer Robert Jenkins.

"I cannot for the life of me think of why the ballots from the 1948 referendum  would be retained," he said with a chuckle.

Dr. John Fitzgerald, currently writing a book on the history of Newfoundland  and Confederation, received the same answer from the archives — the ballots are long gone.  That's the 50-cent question. When did they go missing," said Fitzgerald,who's working out of the Institute for Social and Economic Research at Memorial University.

As for persistent theories surrounding electoral irregularities, Fitzgerald is giving a lecture tonight on that very subject, but from an historical perspective  only.

"I'm an historian. I'm not a politician," he said, declining to spill the beans on  his talk, The Second Newfoundland Referendum July 22, 1948: Was it Rigged?"I'm not using the word rigged, I'm going to redefine it." It will be held 7:30 p.m. at Memorial University's Arts and Administration
Building, room A1046.

Crummey, a failed candidate in city and provincial elections, is the grandson of Pleman Wellington Crummey.

Crummey was elected to the National Assembly in the district of Bay de Verde in 1946 to debate the forms of government.

After Confederation, he ran unsuccessfully for the federal Tories twice. The latter day Crummey is a member of the Green Party of Canada. He lost a bid to lead the party earlier this year.