Alabama us senate gop primary runoff tampering and race halt 1

At 10.33 pm local time
percentage of votes counted dropped meaning votes added or flipped.

Britt: 253,694 - 252,881 Reduction 813, reduction 0.1 percentage point

Brooks: 148,631 - 188,425 Reduction 201, Addition 0.1 percentage point

At 10.43 pm a massive 23.7% of the vote was added bringing to 96% counted with zero votes added to the tally meaning 'lost', thrown away, and that is how it has remained to this very day. it looks like brook was about to get completely wiped and so simply halted the race in its tracks where it was. Do you need to come within a certain percentage to regain your deposit or something? if that is the case then I feel a bit bad about mentioning it but the truth must out as the saying goes. Or is it a case of trying make Trump look less popular in an attempt to make their seizure of the entire voting system in nov look more plausible in their minds?