Jackson Jambalaya

It looks to me that on both cases, one spouse signed for the other. Probably the wives, unless the husbands took penmanship in school.

I went to Y'all Politics and looked at the rest. Ambrose and Blackmon are obvious as well. Even the printed names are identical.

I see the discrepancies, and agree they are probably bogus signatures. But, what responsiblity does the Clerk have to verify their authenticity under the law? Short of eye-witnesses to the apparent forgeries coming forward, or some other type of conclusive proof, such as no registered voter named "Maude Wright", or whoemver living in the Ward, where is this really going? Does the City Clerk even have the authority to disqualify a petition because, in his/her opinion a signature doesn't look right? I hope not, because in my mind that would be an inappropriate amount of discretion vested in one person over who gets on the ballot.

You make a good point. I think the clerk should verify addresses so as to make sure people live in the district. Either the address is in the district or it isn't, however, signatures are tougher. That is why there is a procedure for candidates to challenge qualifying papers and for the other candidate to respond.

7:39, becuase it " doesn't look right"
You must be joking. Those signatures are obviously not signed by the voter as required and she should have not qualified for the election.
Come on people, wake up!

9:01, Which of the signatures is "obviously not signed by the voter as required"...the one on the voter sign-in sheet, or on the petition?

Isn't it the Election Commissioner's responsibility to verify authenticity if challenged? Just asking.

@10:05, that question is irrelevant. The ones on the petition are obviously signed by the same person - either the husband or the wife - and, therefore, can only count once. Feel free to pick whether you want to count the husband's signature or the wife's, but you can't count both.

This is pretty serious....Fraudulently placing signatures on a petition is serious. Signatures are 1 PER household...not per person. The candidates know this. The candidates view the petitions...Ms. Ice knew the signatures in the same household only count as one. But, she submitted her petition anyway...hoping no one would notice. Well, guess what. Some people aren't as crooked and I am glad Quentin filed the petition challenge.
All blame needs to be put on the candidate and not the voters because alot of people aren't privy of the rules- the candidates should be held accountable...and in this case Ms. Ice needs to be disqualified.

Ice is an attorney and leads the MS Immigrants Rights Alliance. Surely she would know better.....

Makes you wonder how much voter fraud she and her husband Bill Chandler have pulled, doesn't it?

I was waiting for Kingfish to post on this one. I thought it was amazing for someone to just pop up at the last second, after WLBT's story practially begging someone to run against Whitwell.

Yes!!
I am a "details" person. The smallest details make all the difference in the world. Some people commit fraud wide open...others commit it with the smallest of details, as in this case. These small details are the scariest of all.

Rebekah, I agree with your sentiments, and I hope Whitwell takes this to the Court since the Election Commission won't do the job the commissioners are paid to do. But, you are wrong about the "one per household" thing. Every qualified elector is able to sign the petition, and it doesnt matter if fifty people all live in the same house - as long as each one signs his/her own name. It is not acceptable for spouses to sign for the other, just like it is not acceptable for one to vote for his/her spouse. But it is ok for both to sign the petition individually and count toward the fifty required registered voters.

Whitwell should take this to the Court if for no other reason than to let the people of the district know the type person he's running against, and to let the citizens of the City know the type leadership they are getting out of the current officials appointed to the Election Commission.

This looks more and more like a setup. I hate to be the one to see a conspiracy, but this is beginning to smell fishy.

2:22...Thnk you...I found that out shortly after I posted...:)

What I guess I should have said was that no one can sign for another person in the household...one signature per one person per household. Meaning, I can't sign for my husband. He can't sign for me.

And I agree Quentin should follow through with this. I don't think it is a conspiracy. I think it is someone who is trying to do whatever she can do to qualify to run...even accepting fraudulent signatures.

Signatures are 1 PER household...not per person. The candidates know this.

Possibly the most ignorant statement on election law I've ever read. From a self-professed "details person."

Well...if you had kept reading the posts (which you obviously didn't) then you would have seen that I said I was wrong and found out all the laws only after I originally posted. I said I was wrong....but thanks for being an a-hole....and a cowardly one at that...Use your real name (as I do) and I will give some merit to your comments.
My point was to explain that having fraudulent signatures disqualify the candidate....as it should. Quentin was right about doing this and I am glad he did. Period. The end.

My name is Kevin.

"...I said I was wrong and found out all the laws only after I originally posted."

Wouldn't a "details person" reverse the order there?

Kevin, who? Doe?

Your sister,
Jane

Oh, and John said to tell you hi.

Don't forget Kapt says Hi!

Doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor....

Good story, KF!

On another note, I've always liked your blog because you are notorious for zapping comments that perpetuate personal arguments which detract from the conversation.

2:22 politely pointed out Hixon's error, and Hixon politely thanked 2:22 and rescinded.

Please zap the children's comments.

I just wish people would stick to the topic at hand and not focus on what mistakes I made while trying to make a point...I make lots of mistakes...but I own up to them. I don't know alot about election law (obviously)....I just wanted to point out that Ice Ice phony had faulty signatures and she could be lying (cheating) about other things too and needs to be disqualified.
So, Kevin, focus on the topic and don't be a douche...I am sorry I didn't accept your prom invitation.

I just wish people would stick to the topic at hand and not focus on what mistakes I made while trying to make a point...I make lots of mistakes...but I own up to them. I don't know alot about election law (obviously)....I just wanted to point out that Ice Ice phony had faulty signatures and she could be lying (cheating) about other things too and needs to be disqualified.
So, Kevin, focus on the topic and don't be a douche...I am sorry I didn't accept your prom invitation.

Why doesn't someone simply go down to the Election Commissioner's office and request to view/copy the precinct's sign in books from previous elections. This could be used to verify the authenticity of the signatures in question.

Jeff Perkins

If signing your own petition is not allowed, and Ice signed her own petition, then Ice's whole certification statement is fraudulent--based on that fact alone. And, there is no need to verify other signatures. Although, it would be interesting for "inquiring minds" to know the outcome of investigations into the forgeries.

Hixon: Try not to stoop to Kevin's level. It's so tempting, I know.

Hey I just have to get a comment in and it has nothing to do with commenting on this post, but has everything to do with names.

If you are lonely pm go look for Amanda Hug Andkis.

If you have any questions go and ask Hellen Wait.

And ladies, I know, Anita Mandaly told me.

Voter fraud should be on the same level as bribery of a federal judge...... This is an affront
to my freedom.

If Patricia Ice was willing to submit fraudulent qualifying papers then everything she has been involved in in the past or will be involved in in the future will be suspect. She is tarnished goods and should be disbarred.

I imagine her close friend, Chokwe Lumumba, will be advising her on the best way to move past this stink.

well, i heard the commission already threw out 9 of her 60, so these would bury her. did i get bad info?

The Election Commission 'rejected' nine of the 60 original signatures because the nine were not found to be registered voters of the Ward. That left 51 - when 50 are required to qualify.

The issue of whether Ice can sign her own petition is an interesting one, and probably would make for some good legal research. Not absolute, but good enough for an argument, IMO.

Of the questioned signatures, many do look like a 'spouse signature' which does not meet the legal test. But to prove it is difficult, and the best evidence is not that they 'look alike' but comparing them to known signatures. In a few cases the Whitwell campaign seems to have done this. (Although, the petition doesn't make note of this fact - which is a weakness in the petition.)

But the EC (note: This is the Municipal Election Commission, not the Hinds County EC) chose not to deal with the issue. Understand some of the commissioners said that they just didn't care, it wasn't "their job" to question. On that I disagree. This is exactly a part of the job of the election commissioners, and those that failed to even consider the petition and the argument should be fired. OK - know they won't be fired, but the members of the City Council that recommended them should be held to task on their appointments to this important body.

Quentin Whitwell is nothing but a preppy little prick in designer jeans that keeps saying he's for a better city. Which is that? The ones that live on Sheffield Drive along with you, your trophy wife and kids and all your luxury cars and overpriced vacations? Quentin Whitwell, you are INDEED for the people of this city...as long as they shop at Maison Weiss and subscribe to your elitist, Ole Miss fraternity, yuppie lifestyle. What about the other 99% that actually live in the real world with less hair gel, italian loafers and european vacations? Huh? That's what I would do is try to point fingers at your opponent's with such trivial things as signatures on a petition...get freaking real! I have removed several of your signs from my NEJ neighborhood by running over them with my car. Up yours and all the shallow puppets that line up behind your grand Oscar-worthy performance.

That was an angry comment. Got issues?