(May 26, 2016) Pocomoke City will hold another election for District 1, this time on paper ballots, at the library at 301 Market Street next Tuesday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
An unspecified mechanical failure is blamed for the failure of the previous election held on April 5. Though 132 people were counted at the polls, only 127 votes were counted. The city’s Board of Election Supervisors did not certify the results, though board chairman John Haynie confirmed there was a winner by 9 votes for the disputed machine totals plus 6 votes from absentee ballots.
Because the city charter is vague on the topic of disputed election totals, officials have been forced to make decisions on the fly.
The charter states, “The candidate or candidates for Councilman with the highest number of votes in each general election shall be declared elected as Councilman,” and requires elections to be certified 12 hours from the time the polls are closed. Little else is said on the topic. In the interim, sitting council members have said the charter needs some work in this area.
While the dust was settling, a number of issues were asked and answered, including who was allowed to vote, the number of candidates allowed and how the election was to be conducted.
The first idea officials came up with was a “re-vote” in which only those who participated in the April 5 election would be able to participate. Several organizations, but the ACLU in particular, had problems with this format, and the idea was dropped.
Every registered voter in District 1, generally the northernmost points of town, is invited to participate as a voter. Only incumbent George Tasker and his opponent Sheila Nelson will appear on the ballot.
The term of the council member elected on May 31 has been shortened to coincide with the previous election’s date of April 5. The winner will serve a three-year term from that date.
An unspecified mechanical failure is blamed for the failure of the previous election held on April 5. Though 132 people were counted at the polls, only 127 votes were counted. The city’s Board of Election Supervisors did not certify the results, though board chairman John Haynie confirmed there was a winner by 9 votes for the disputed machine totals plus 6 votes from absentee ballots.
Because the city charter is vague on the topic of disputed election totals, officials have been forced to make decisions on the fly.
The charter states, “The candidate or candidates for Councilman with the highest number of votes in each general election shall be declared elected as Councilman,” and requires elections to be certified 12 hours from the time the polls are closed. Little else is said on the topic. In the interim, sitting council members have said the charter needs some work in this area.
While the dust was settling, a number of issues were asked and answered, including who was allowed to vote, the number of candidates allowed and how the election was to be conducted.
The first idea officials came up with was a “re-vote” in which only those who participated in the April 5 election would be able to participate. Several organizations, but the ACLU in particular, had problems with this format, and the idea was dropped.
Every registered voter in District 1, generally the northernmost points of town, is invited to participate as a voter. Only incumbent George Tasker and his opponent Sheila Nelson will appear on the ballot.
The term of the council member elected on May 31 has been shortened to coincide with the previous election’s date of April 5. The winner will serve a three-year term from that date.