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Text of statement by Hinds County Republican Party Chairman Pete Perry
Madison County Journal ^

Posted on 06/27/2014 12:14:05 PM PDT by don-o

Statement of Hinds County Republican Party Chairman Pete Perry:

"Yesterday afternoon, someone claiming to represent the Mississippi State Tea Party held a press conference in this Courthouse to make some careless accusations about the voting in Hinds County for the Republican nomination for United States Senate. This morning, I'd like to provide some facts in response.

First of all, some background on the election mechanics in Hinds County:

Hinds County has 118 precincts each of which has 3 to 5 poll workers who are hired by the County Republican Executive Committee and are paid $100 for a 14 to 15 hour day. Many of the 500 or so Hinds County citizens who work as poll workers have been working the same ballot boxes for years. They take pride in their work, their involvement with the community, and their participation in the democratic process. I am certain that on June 24th, there were McDaniel supporters, Cochran supporters, and even the rare undecided voter working as poll workers in Hinds County.

I provide this background on the poll workers because of their essential role in this process. When each voter comes to the polling station, the poll workers check the registration books and the voter's identification before providing them a ballot. If there is a challenge to a voter's eligibility by a poll watcher from a campaign, the poll workers rule on their eligibility or provide an affidavit ballot to the voter. After the polls close, at each precinct, the poll workers download the election results, tally the absentee ballots for the precinct, and then return everything to the Courthouse where their results are added to the others.

To help the poll workers navigate the election legalities and the ever- changing technology of the voting machines, we have training classes for the poll workers. For this election cycle, we conducted more than two dozen classes to train these workers. Prior to the June 24th run-off, we had additional classes to address the upcoming runoff election. One of the key subjects of this supplemental training was that for the run-off, nobody that voted in the June 3rd Democrat primary could vote in the June 24th Republican run-off. Additional material was given to all poll workers addressing this specific issue. To help prevent mistakes, the Republican and Democrat parties switch the poll books for each precinct for a run-off. Since we don't register by political party in Mississippi, the poll books list all voters. The theory of switching the poll books is that if a Republican poll worker is using the book that was used by the Democrats in the first election, then when a voter comes to vote in the Republican run-off, the poll worker can quickly see if the voter's name is checked as having voted in the first Democrat primary.

As I understand it, the complaint by the representative of the Tea Party yesterday was that 'they had found over 800 instances of June 3 voters in the Democrat primary who illegally voted in the June 24 runoff election.'

Instead of making wild accusations which stir up social media with cries of fraud and corruption, it would be much better for all involved Ð the voters, the candidates, the 500 poll workers in Hinds County Ð if we let facts enter into the conversation. And the facts are that their claims are wildly exaggerated. As a committee, we are still in the process of going through the election results before they can be certified, but this morning we can discuss some of the specific examples that were raised yesterday.

As an example in Precinct 14, the Fondren Presbyterian Church precinct, the numbers cited by the McDaniel campaign yesterday included 192 'illegal votes' Ð people that they claimed had voted in the Democrat primary on June 3rd but then voted in the Republican run-off. That is impossible. According to the certified results of the June 3rd Democrat primary, there were only 37 total Democrat primary voters at that particular precinct. I am providing you with a redacted copy of a sample page from the poll books used at that precinct.

A simple look at this page shows what Ms. Overscheld is claiming as illegal votes. This is nothing more than an instance where a poll worker started marking an individual's vote in the June 3rd column, rather than in the June 24th column. At some point the worker realized his or her mistake and corrected it Ð crossing out the 'voted' notation in the June 3rd column and moving it to its proper place. That is the correct procedure for the managers Ð but the McDaniel campaign is claiming that this is an example of illegal votes.

Ms. Overscheld was aware of this and other similar instances when she made her statement yesterday, but continued with her charade trying to provide known inflated numbers. In fact, when she made her statement yesterday, she had inflated their own numbers to make it appear to be worse than they had actually found. Later that night, the candidate himself again inflated the numbers to now being 'over 1000.' Elections are about specifics, not generalities. We count and account for each and every vote; we do not inflate or deflate numbers for campaign purposes.

We have not gone through every voter accused yesterday by Ms. Oversheld but we will do so before we complete our canvass of all the election matters. I am confident that as we continue to look at the specific cases, this bogus number cited yesterday will be reduced significantly.

Instead of crying fraud or illegality or corruption Ð rhetoric that is designated to inflame passions Ð it would be helpful if those making wild accusations would consider other possibilities.

For example, one of the 800 plus 'illegal voters' accused yesterday was cast by a lady who attempted to vote in the Pinehaven precinct. She came to vote in the Republican primary on June 24th and the poll worker checked the poll book and saw that she was marked as having voted in the Democrat primary on June 3rd so the poll worker denied her a ballot. One problem though Ð she was in the hospital on June 3rd. She had a colonoscopy that day and did not vote. No corruption, no fraud, just a simple human mistake. A clerical error was made by a Democrat poll worker on June 3rd.

Those mistakes happen. And I'm sure that some mistakes happened on Tuesday in the Republican primary. I'm sure that there were mistakes in Hinds County, Jones County and every one of the 82 counties in the State, and that both candidates were affected positively and negatively. That's what happens, when in Hinds County alone, 500 one-day workers Ð moreso volunteers than professionals Ð process and tally the 25,000 voters on election day.

I am very pleased with how the election went in Hinds County on Tuesday. The more than 500 people involved with running the election operated in a professional manner and helped participate in a record voter turnout. As a lifelong Republican, it is very gratifying to me personally to see so many new voters in the Republican primary not just in Hinds County but across the state."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Mississippi
KEYWORDS: cochran; mcdaniel
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1 posted on 06/27/2014 12:14:05 PM PDT by don-o
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To: don-o
She came to vote in the Republican primary on June 24th and the poll worker checked the poll book and saw that she was marked as having voted in the Democrat primary on June 3rd so the poll worker denied her a ballot. One problem though Ð she was in the hospital on June 3rd. She had a colonoscopy that day and did not vote. No corruption, no fraud, just a simple human mistake.

Sounds like some thoughtful Democrat voted for her while she was indisposed.

2 posted on 06/27/2014 12:16:26 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government." --Tacitus)
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To: don-o

He’s got a nerve, pretending to take the high road and talking about iflaming passions when that’s exactly what Cochran’s campaign did to McDaniels with their accusations of racist and such, to pander for rat votes.


3 posted on 06/27/2014 12:18:16 PM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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To: don-o; All
Can you say, Cover-up?

4 posted on 06/27/2014 12:18:58 PM PDT by skinkinthegrass (The end move in politics is always to pick up a weapon...0'Jihadist/"Rustler" Reid? d8-)
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To: don-o

Let’s cover up this steaming fetid pile of poop with another steaming fetid pile of poop.


5 posted on 06/27/2014 12:20:56 PM PDT by tx_eggman (Liberalism is only possible in that moment when a man chooses Barabas over Christ.)
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To: don-o

Total CYA mode.

(At least Mr Perry was able to dye his hair before his on camera appearance. /snark)

6 posted on 06/27/2014 12:22:47 PM PDT by Jane Long ("And when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Can you believe this crap???

Democrat fraud voting used as an alibi!


7 posted on 06/27/2014 12:23:42 PM PDT by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Sounds like some thoughtful Democrat voted for her while she was indisposed.

Precisely. It's not the example I would have chosen to illustrate the integrity of the voting process I was supervising.

8 posted on 06/27/2014 12:31:00 PM PDT by Paine in the Neck (Socialism consumes EVERYTHING)
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To: don-o

Amazing, and disgusting at the same time. The fix is in. Cochran will go forward. Only options are to vote (D) or not vote at all. Cochran, like McConnell, needs to lost at all cost.


9 posted on 06/27/2014 12:31:59 PM PDT by dware (3 prohibited topics in mixed company: politics, religion and operating systems...)
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To: dware

*lose


10 posted on 06/27/2014 12:32:45 PM PDT by dware (3 prohibited topics in mixed company: politics, religion and operating systems...)
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To: don-o

The fish rots from the head.


11 posted on 06/27/2014 12:33:52 PM PDT by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!!)
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To: don-o

He talks like he’s the Supervisor of Elections, not a party Chairman.


12 posted on 06/27/2014 12:37:16 PM PDT by Ray76 (True change requires true change - A Second Party ...or else it's more of the same...)
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To: don-o
Statement of Hinds County Republican Party Chairman Pete Perry...

Much braggadocio by Party Chairman Pete Perry. He reveals his dishonesty (and uncertainty of the matter) in his over-abundance of wordage. He's lying and not all of his claims can stand under scrutiny because, after all, they are not true.
13 posted on 06/27/2014 12:39:27 PM PDT by Resettozero
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
She had a colonoscopy that day and did not vote.

If you had a colonoscopy in the morning, you are out of the hospital in the afternoon.
14 posted on 06/27/2014 12:40:30 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("If you're litigating against nuns, you've probably done something wrong."-Ted Cruz)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum; don-o

Hinds County, unfortunately, was where several McDaniel campaign people were accidentally locked themselves into the courthouse where they had gone late at night to check the voting records. I don’t know if they were there legitimately, that is, as regular poll watchers verifying the tallies, or if they just had just taken it upon themselves to look into suspicions of fraud, but it certainly didn’t look good in the press.

I think there is probably something seriously wrong in Hinds County and the local board of elections is used to covering up their errors.

As for the lady with the colonoscopy, that’s not an all-day procedure, and the polls stay open for long enough hours that she could have voted either before or afterwards.


15 posted on 06/27/2014 12:43:04 PM PDT by livius
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To: don-o
Well thank God above we have an outstanding Attorney General in Washington, D.C., Mr. Eric Holder, who will come to Mississippi and get this corrected and determine the right man won. He is an outstanding man of law, upholding the law, and bringing criminals to justice and such. Yup, our tough on crime AG will git this wrong fixed pronto!!!! (did you catch my sarcasm here or not?!?!?!)
16 posted on 06/27/2014 12:46:06 PM PDT by RetiredArmy (MARANATHA, MARANATHA, Come quickly LORD Jesus!!! Father send thy Son!! Its Time!)
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To: don-o
As an example in Precinct 14, the Fondren Presbyterian Church precinct, the numbers cited by the McDaniel campaign yesterday included 192 "illegal votes," people that they claimed had voted in the Democrat primary on June 3rd but then voted in the Republican run-off. That is impossible. According to the certified results of the June 3rd Democrat primary, there were only 37 total Democrat primary voters at that particular precinct. I am providing you with a redacted copy of a sample page from the poll books used at that precinct.

It sounds as if the McDaniel campaign's wild accusations about voter fraud have been trumped by the facts.

17 posted on 06/27/2014 12:46:22 PM PDT by OldRanchHand
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To: Jim Robinson
I investigated these three instances of fraud myself last night. It appears to be a legitimate example of fraud. None of Pete Perry's suggested scenarios fit it.


18 posted on 06/27/2014 12:46:53 PM PDT by BuckeyeTexan (There are those that break and bend. I'm the other kind. ~Steve Earle)
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To: mrsmel

“Thou doth protest too loudly”, is sounding very germane.

Texas has the same law about voting crossover in Primary runoffs. Never hear much about so many “mistakes” by Poll workers. Maybe its simply a Mississippi stump-jumper thing.


19 posted on 06/27/2014 12:52:31 PM PDT by X-spurt (CRUZ missile - armed and ready.)
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To: Ray76
-- He talks like he's the Supervisor of Elections, not a party Chairman. --

Primary elections are a hybrid/weird critter. Party hacks (in the form of "county executive committee") act as election overseeers in primary contests, by statute.

20 posted on 06/27/2014 1:00:36 PM PDT by Cboldt
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