Mayoral candidate Johnny Moore and Mayor-elect Lynn Spruill have both filed requests with the Oktibbeha County Democratic Party to review the results of last week’s runoff election.
The two campaigns are seeking full examinations of the ballot boxes from the city’s seven wards this week. Spruill and her attorney, Lydia Quarles, have requested their examination to take place Thursday, while Columbus attorney William Starks requested a Friday viewing on Moore’s behalf.
Both examinations are exercises in due diligence ahead of a potential Moore challenge with the party, after the Starkville Election Commission certified a six-vote Spruill victory Thursday. The two candidates had 12 days from certification to request the ballot box reviews.
The two reviews are not expected to be open to the public or media.
Moore has 20 days from Thursday’s certification to challenge the results with the Democratic Party and then a 10-day window to file a lawsuit if the party doesn’t make a timely decision.
During Thursday’s certification, Starks unsuccessfully stumped for a recount of the entire election and a re-examination of absentee and affidavit ballots. The election committee, citing guidance given by Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann’s office, said any possible challenges and requests for such due diligence would have to go to the party following certification.
In his request, Starks also outlined what could become the basis of Moore’s challenge with the Democratic Party. Proper election procedures were not followed when absentee ballots were counted at City Hall instead of at the polls, the possibility of human error exists with the runoff’s tally, at least two affidavit ballots were rejected erroneously and other election day discrepancies exist, Starks said.
After Wednesday’s affidavit processing, Moore campaign representative Molly Jackson said the campaign was not ready to challenge any of the ballots accepted, but on Thursday Starks said the campaign will also scrutinize all votes accumulated in the election process, including absentees and affidavits.
“We certainly hope that everybody who came out to vote and cast a ballot gets their vote counted. Just like state law requires that (voting rules) be liberally construed in the favor of the voter, we would ask that that be the case here,” he said Thursday.
Following her victory, Spruill said she was hopeful the election’s results would be finalized soon so she could move on and prepare for her transition into office as Starkville’s first female mayor.
“I am very comfortable that the poll workers, the election commission and the Democratic Executive Committee were diligent and exacting in their efforts to have a fair election. I certainly understand working the process as authorized by state law,” Spruill said Thursday. “I will be meeting with department heads, board members and community leaders to make certain I am up to speed starting day No. 1.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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