MS-3: Republican Voting Shenanigans

Apparently the leading candidate in District 3, David Landrum, was taken off the voter rolls (I think, please clarify in the comments).

A voter purge that affects the powerful? You know there's going to be a lawsuit.

Victory For Mississippi And Democrats / Will It Last?

Daily Kos:
We've won the first round in the war over scheduling Mississippi's special election to replace Senator Trent Lott:

A Hinds County Circuit judge ruled today that Gov. Haley Barbour exceeded his constitutional authority by setting the special election to replace former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott for November.

DeLaughter heard about an hour of arguments Monday in the dispute between state Attorney General Jim Hood and Barbour.

Barbour had intended to schedule the special election in November, no doubt because a year of incumbency and a presidential election on the same day (which would no doubt go strongly for the Republican in Mississippi) would help his chosen, GOP Representative Senator Roger Wicker.

Mississippi law mandates that special elections be held within 90 days of a vacancy, except in years in which a statewide election occurs. The vacancy technically occurred in 2007, but after the statewide election had been held; therein lies the controversy.

For the time being, however, the courts have ruled against Barbour:

In his order, DeLaughter said the election should be held "within 90 days of the governor's Dec. 20, 2007 proclamation of writ of election...on or before March 19, 2008.

Hood cited Mississippi Code 23-15-855, which applies to U.S. senator vacancies. He and Barbour have differing interpretations of that statute.

....

As this post later points out this case will likely go to The Mississippi Supreme Court that is stacked with Republicans. Many of those judges were placed there with help from the partisan Republican US Chamber of Commerce. We'll see how the law fares there, but for today we can celebrate.

Wooten Winning

Before affidavit ballots are counted today, Adrienne Wooten has once again beat Johnny Reeves in the House District 71 race.

From WLBT.com:

The unconfirmed results give incumbent Republican John Reeves 278 votes to Democratic challenger Adrienne Wooten's 299.

The hotly-contested race was again plagued by confusion at the polls. Many voters in the four split precincts complained of being turned away or being told that their affidavit ballots would not be counted.

There were several reports of confusion within these split precincts throughout the day. Hinds County Election Commission chair Connie Cochran was apparently just as confused as everyone else with the problems.

"There haven't been any problems reported," Cochran said. "The only thing that has been a problem are people who have gone to vote who don't live in that district."

District 71 re-vote

Four precincts in Hinds County will hold a re-vote tomorrow in the hotly-contested House District 71 seat. Adrienne Wooten won the race in November, but Rep. Johnny Reeves contested the race.

At the center of the issue lies the Hinds County Election Commission. This is not the first time their shenanigans have caused mass chaos and distrust among Hinds County voters. Conveniently for many Republicans, in EVERY election cycle the commission is charged with administering, there are irregularities.

The following are the precincts involved in the re-vote: Baker Elementary School, Oak Forest Elementary School, Victory AME Zion Church and Lakeshore Baptist Church.

David Blount for Senate District 29 Ad

David Blount is the Democratic candidate for Mississippi Senate District 29 in Hinds County. This David Blount ad focuses on crime and the Jackson Metro Area highlighting that David Blount is the only candidate supported by Mississippi police officers.