Amateur leaders
Editor, The Commercial:
The Commercial’s excellent article about problems with the election commission building shined the light of day on a recurring problem ignored by the County Judge and the two before him. I recognize the judge has other priorities and did have roof leak repairs made several years ago, after the loss of thousands of dollars in moisture-damaged voting machines — twice.
According to that pesky Arkansas Code annotated in §14-14-1102 (b) (1) (B) (i) (3) (A), a county judge is responsible for the care of county property.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The County Board of Election Commissioners does an excellent job conducting fair elections. The chairman is well versed and focused. The two other commissioners support him. They have two trained election coordinators and trained absentee ballot counters and poll workers.
While we read about election commission irregularities in other counties, Jefferson County has never received that type of publicity. Lawsuits, State Board of Election Commissioners and Ethics Commission complaints citing fabricated violations were all dismissed.
Recount totals always matched announced results. The Arkansas Supreme Court in CV 17-949 (May 2018) affirmed the commission’s right not to use the services of a county judge-appointed election coordinator. Only an election commission can designate someone as an election official.
The law also requires election commissions to designate coordinators to attend training. However, that has not stopped the current and last two county judges from appointing unqualified election coordinators. This county judge’s appointed coordinator is not an election official, not trained in election coordinator duties despite the contention he has and is paid approximately $40,000 annually (including benefits). On occasion when the chairman asks him to get something repaired, even this small task is not accomplished.
What amazes me is the Secretary of State Elections Division, the State Board of Election Commissioners and the Division of Legislative Audit are aware of this waste of tax dollars, but apparently do not have the authority to intercede.
Stu Soffer,
White Hall