Lowndes County”s recurring problem of a handful of people witnessing large amounts of absentee ballots could be nearing an end.
Circuit Clerk Haley Salazar is working with the Secretary of State”s office to bring attention to the problem she”s dealt with since her election in 1992.
“Quite frankly, I”m tired of it. It”s becoming more and more of a significant and increasing problem,” said Salazar.
Lowndes County was highlighted by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann in his 2010 Election Day Activity Report Tuesday for having 350 of its 1,263 absentee ballots witnessed by six individuals during November”s circuit court elections. One individual witnessed 167 ballots and another 80 ballots.
Salazar pointed out the abnormality to Hosemann when he visited her office prior to the November general election.
“I showed him a stack that had just been returned in the mail and he like to fell out of his chair,” she said.
She also raised the issue two months prior in September during a meeting of circuit clerks at the Secretary of State”s office in Jackson.
Hosemann was not present at the meeting, but members of his staff spoke of their intention to propose legislation limiting the number of disabled voters an individual is allowed to assist casting a ballot on election days. Salazar suggested they add language limiting the number of absentee ballots an individual can witness.
“I think the system is being manipulated,” Salazar said she told Hosemann”s staff. “I believe candidates are paying a person to go around to voters” homes and get voters to call me (and request an absentee ballot).”
Senate Bill 2055, which would the number of voters an individual may assist at the polls, does not include Salazar”s suggestion, but an amendment limiting the number of absentee ballots an individual can witness has been proposed for addition to the bill.
Because of a pending investigation, she was not at liberty to divulge who the witnesses were in this case or the candidate for whom the corresponding ballots were cast. But Salazar did provide that information, which later appeared in the election report, to Hosemann in person.
The practice of witnessing multiple absentee ballots is legal, but Hosemann said he compiles his election reports annually to give legislators the information they need when considering statutory reform.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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