By Billy Davis

A committee of Panola County Democrats last week turned down a request from William Pride to set a new District 2 supervisor election or declare him the winner of the Democratic primary.

A half-dozen members of the Panola County Democratic Executive Committee voted unanimously to maintain the election results from August 23, said Executive Committee chairman Rufus Manley.
Incumbent supervisor Vernice Avant won the Democratic nomination in an August 2 primary and a run-off three weeks later. She faces a Republican candidate November 8.

Pride had hand delivered a three-page letter to Manley and other election officials September 10 in which he described questionable election-related activities observed by the candidate and by his poll watchers during the run-off election.

Six days later, Manley hand delivered a one-sentence written response to Pride: his request was denied.

“In response to your request to overturn the certification of Ms. Avant and certify you as the winner of the primary runoff held August 23, 2011, the committee has voted to deny your request,” the letter, signed by Manley, stated.

The letter from the Executive Committee did not mention Pride’s second request, to set a date for a new run-off election.

Among his allegations, Pride said poll workers helped Avant’s campaign workers identify potential voters who had not cast a ballot and bring them to the precinct.

A volunteer who helped Pride canvass ballot boxes after the election said 44 absentees should have been thrown out and 19 should have been counted, a total of 63 ballots. Pride lost to Avant by 73 votes.

Pride’s letter to the Executive Committee suggested problems were found with absentee ballots but did not cite a number.

In his letter, Pride also alleged that Supervisor Avant failed to meet qualifications to seek re-election, though it did not state a reason.

According to Manley, he was surprised that Pride’s letter cited problems at the Crenshaw precinct, where Pride’s poll watchers were not seated close enough to poll workers to hear voters declare their names.

“I met with Mr. Pride on election day at Crenshaw. We concurred there was nothing illegal because it was a small building,” Manley recalled.

“He told me as long as they had a place to see it was legal,” Pride recalled. “I didn’t argue with him because I assumed he knew what he was talking about.”

Reached after the meeting, Executive Committee member Mack Dandridge said six or seven committee members were present last week.

Manley passed out copies of Pride’s letter and gave everyone time to read it, Dandridge said. “Then Mr. Manley asked for suggestions — what we wanted to do,” he recalled.

The committee discussed the letter for approximately 40 minutes before voting to turn down Pride’s request, Dandridge said.  

Dandridge said committee members leaned on Arilla Kerney, a longtime committee member, to explain the process for contesting an election. Kerney also provided background information after a voter alleged he was not able to cast an affidavit ballot, he recalled.

Dandridge could not recall if the committee discussed the questions raised about absentee ballots.

“We wanted everyone to feel comfortable that the committee ensured there was a fair and just election — no backroom deals,” Dandridge said.

A second committee member, John Reed, also reported six or seven committee members were present and the vote was unanimous.

“There’s no perfect election and there were probably some flaws — true enough,” Reed said.

Reed also reported that Avant and a group of supporters were present, and two Panola sheriff’s deputies were present to maintain order.

The meeting was open to the public and Manley expected both candidates to be present at the meeting, according to Dandridge.

“I was actually surprised (Pride) was not there or nobody was there to support him,” said Dandridge.

Pride said he did not attend the Executive Committee meeting because he was never informed it was meeting until a reporter called for a story.

“Nobody notified me. There was no communication about their plans,” said Pride. “You would think, as a Democratic candidate, they would show some common courtesy.”