And here is why:
In the 24 Jul 2015 issue of the Tunica Times on page 8 there is a continuing story from the front page about the Primary. The byline is Tunica Times publisher, Brooks Taylor.
On page 8 there is the following statement: "On 16 July 2015, the Mississippi Supreme Court dismissed the Tunica County's DEC's appeal 'for failure to pay the cost of appeal'" I didn't think this was correct. So, I asked for and received a copy of the receipt paying the fees that were asked to be paid at the Circuit Clerk's Office. I made another copy for the Tunica Times and I personally handed this copy to Brooks and asked for a retraction. Now, let me say this. There is more to this story then a supposed failure to pay the cost of appeal and that information is readily available on the Supreme Court's website.
Why wasn't this retraction in this weeks issue of the Tunica Times?
In the this week's Tunica Times (7 Aug 2015) on page 8 again, there is a continuing story from the front page about Voting. The byline is again Tunica Times publisher, Brooks Taylor.
"At presstime Wednesday, Democratic Party Executive Committee members were overseeing a canvass of affidavit ballots. By mid-afternoon, some had been rejected, because the poll managers failed to sign the outside of the ballot envelopes."
The DEC has a contract with the Circuit Clerk's Office to train poll workers and the County pays the Circuit Clerk to train these people. So, if anyone has a beef with the quality of this training, take it up with the Circuit Clerk, not the DEC.
"This newspaper received reports on August 4 of confusion at the polls over voters from the town of Tunica. Voters reported to us that they were sent to two or more polls, after their names were not found on the precinct rolls."
Let's be clear, the DEC has nothing to do with the voter rolls. These responsibilities belong to the Circuit Clerk and the Election Commission. Just how many times are Tunicans going to sit in Board of Supervisors' Meetings and listen to me report about the Election Commission and not understand that our rolls have not been purged? For Pete's sake, the Beat 3 Election Commissioner doesn't even have her own address correct on her voter registration. She's using her mother's address at 1040 Cedar and her address is 1055 Cedar. I don't see anybody but me at the Election Commission Meetings. So, everyone who is not trying to get this problem fixed, stop complaining because you are not helping to get this problem fixed. Just how long are you willing to sit there and not help?
"The names of many town voters who should have been listed in the library precinct of District 2 were not found on that list and those voters were, in some cases, directed to vote in District 5 at the Tunica Elementary precinct."
Again, it is the responsibility of the Circuit Clerk to provide the updated rolls at each polling place and the County pays for this under election supplies.
"Others said they insisted on voting at the library precinct by affidavit ballot, including a former elected official who has lived in the same house on School Street in town for over 40 years."
This is a Circuit Clerk's problem both in training and voter rolls. The DEC has no responsibility for the training or the voter rolls. Simply put, the Circuit Clerk supplied incorrect voter rolls to some precincts.
"While this reporter was voting at the elementary school precinct, one of the voting machines ran out of paper and there was no supply at the poll to refill the machine."
This is a Circuit Clerk's problem and these supplies are paid for by the County. Ask her why the machine ran out of tape.
"It was also reported that three poll boxes arrived at the courthouse Tuesday night without required seals."
Yes, this happened and was reported by the DEC as they opened each bag and they documented and were able to reconfirm each missing seal during the affidavit process. How do I know? Because I took the time to attend this part of the vo,te counting and I asked the independent score keepers as each box was unsealed to count the affidavits.
"There were other reports that poll materials were removed from the courthouse the night before Tuesday's voting."
Say what? Who is reporting this? This is the first time I've heard about this.
"Police were called to the library poll, where other problems were occurring."
Did you check this out before going to print? Well, I did. I went by the police station on Wed morning, 5 Aug 2015 and asked who sent them to the library. The call came through dispatch and the officer stated, as he did on Tue when he arrived at the library, that he had no idea why they were called. No one was causing problems and there are witnesses to that fact.
I'm sure you know that someone called the Secretary of State's Office to ask that I be removed as a Poll Watcher at Precinct 4. Why? Because of the candidate I was watching for? I had credentials. This was harassment, pure and simple and it has been reported.
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