Jackson Jambalaya

Just don’t count Hinds County votes!

Kingfish is too generous in his assessment of the intellectual capabilities of the Hinds County Election Commission.

At least they finally admit that they are incapable of running an election.

In the early 80's - 92 the parties put on their own primaries with the help of the election commission in Hinds County. That is why my mother ended up running for election commission in 92 due to the fact they decided to move it in house. So they can bluster all they want but it was done this way for a long time. The Current circuit clerk's mother used to be the one paid for the Democratic Party primaries, but essentially the county subcontracted out all the hard work for elections and the commissioners didn't do much.

In order to run for these jobs you only need very minimum qualification. It also means that the people who win might be only able to do the very minimum quality of work. At least they know their own limitations. In other words, if you don't know how, don't try.

These people couldn't run a snow cone stand. They would complicate a one car funeral. FUBAR, is their default position.

I'm gonna text my boss Sunday night and tell him that I'm "opting out" from work on Monday.

While traditionally the election commission has helped with party primaries, it is, under state law, a function of the parties themselves. I'm not sure it's a bad thing that the election commission isn't spending money Hinds County doesn't have on something that isn't technically their responsibility -- even if the decision was made purely because the commission is a cast of clowns.

When you elect clowns don’t be surprised when you have a circus.

Why can’t Hinds county even run an election without a myriad of problems? Well, I guess if you watch the city council meetings and county supervisor meetings, it will be self explanatory.

Even Pete Perry can't correct a balkin' mule.

Election Commissioners dont want anything to do with the elections. What the hell do the Election Commissioners do? This is so beyond understanding. Why are they so stupid? At this point, can the secretary of state step in? The county folks have to be able to cast their ballots.

I’m gonna run for Dog Catcher but announce that I don’t want anything to do with dogs…

/facepalm

2:44, Please provide citations to the state laws you're talking about. I'd like to read them. Thanks.

This issue is a conundrum. On one side, the medical community needs to order every test and procedure to avoid any lawsuit by the ambulance-chasing lawyers. On the other side, the insurance companies need to be able to collect the costs of the tests and procedures that were ordered. The solutions are following Shakespeare's advice with the legal community, and make insurance companies subject to antitrust laws.

District 4 Supervisor Wanda Evers said everyone needed to grow up and work together.

“You all are talking like you are mad because somebody blamed you for something that happened,” she said. “We’re going to get blamed whether we do right or wrong, either or. So, my suggestion is for us to cut this 12-year-old crap we got going on out today, and we all sit down, and we talk about how we can work together as a team.”

Election Commission attorney Barbara Blackmon said if the commission refused to enter into a contract to help with the primaries...

What the heck is in that contract????

How can a body of elected officials "opt' out of doing the job they were elected to do?

Does that opts them out of collecting their pay as well?

Clearly they’re not needing to be paid since they serve no purpose

The Mississippi Commission/Department/Board/whatever of regulating
barber shops,hair salons,finger-nail boutiques ect. is now more relevant than the Hinds County Election Commission.

4:32, don’t discount Wanda Evers. She has a lot of sense and doesn’t have to grovel to the influencers in the metro area. Good for her.

"Election Commission attorney Barbara Blackmon said . . . "

. . . and that explains it.

"the medical community needs to order every test and procedure to avoid any lawsuit by the ambulance-chasing lawyers"

You mean a lawsuit for medical malpractice, which requires an expert report before it can even be filed?

@2:44 - maybe you ought not post comments on things you don't know, or at least don't understand.

Yes, the responsibility for running a party primary is on the party. If you watched the video of the meeting you would know that the parties in Hinds County - both the Republican and the Democratic - ARE run by the parties. Can't speak for the Democrats, but the Republicans took over complete 'running' of the primaries ten or twelve years ago due to the incompetence of the election commission.

But, there are certain things that the county is required to do - things that the parties are not allowed by law to do. Those were spoken to during this meeting but the commission not the commission's lawyer bothered to answer them.

The county PAYS for all costs of the primary, something evidently you don't understand. They pay for the costs whether the party runs the election or if the party contracts with the election commission to run the election. The county pays the poll workers; pays for the supplies; pays for the printing of the ballots; pays for the equipment; pays for the delivery of the equipment; ALL the costs of the primary election. WHY? Because the parties have to run the elections under laws passed by the state, not under rules the parties create.

The parties have no authority to spend county money (thankfully!). They do not have the contract with the equipment supplier. They do not have the contract with the printer that produces the ballots - at a cost of $0.28 each, a substantial cost. They do not decide where the precincts are located or when there is rent associated with it the authority to spend county money for the location.

Further, the parties do not have access to SEMS (the State Election Management System) which is required to produce the poll books and required to process affidavit ballots. Only elected officials have access to this system --- which is as it should be, but what do you do when the elected officials say that they aren't going to do their job?

Yes, the parties are responsible for running the primary election. But the elected election commissioners have duties that they are legally required to perform which these folks have proven they don't have the competence to do and got their feelings hurt last November (a general election, not a primary) where their incompetence became public and as they admitted during this meeting they didn't like things people said about their screwups. But their problem was that it wasn't the parties saying things about their failures - it was the public, the national and local media, and voters!

2:44 is correct, Parties are responsible according to state law. You can find that on the SOS website. The commission should help in provided the number of ballots needed per precinct. Unfortunately state law has not kept up with the changes in running elections.

Mississippi Code 23-15-263 makes it clear that the executive committees of the political parties run the primaries.


(1) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the county executive committee at primary elections shall perform all duties that relate to the qualification of candidates for primary elections, print ballots for primary elections, appoint the primary election officers, resolve contests in regard to primary elections, and perform all other duties required by law to be performed by the county executive committee; however, each house of the Legislature shall rule on the qualifications of the membership of its respective body in contests involving the qualifications of such members. The executive committee shall be subject to all the penalties to which county election commissioners are subject, except that Section 23-15-217 shall not apply to members of the county executive committee who seek elective office.

(2) A member of a county executive committee shall be automatically disqualified to serve on the county executive committee, and shall be considered to have resigned therefrom, upon his qualification as a candidate for any elective office. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a member of a county executive committee who qualifies as a candidate for a municipal elective office.

(3) The primary election officers appointed by the executive committee of the party shall have the powers and perform the duties, where not otherwise provided, required of such officers in a general election, and any and every act or omission which by law is an offense when committed in or about or in respect to such general elections, shall be an offense if committed in or about or in respect to a primary election; and the same shall be indictable and punishable in the same way as if the election was a general election for the election of state and county officers, except as specially modified or otherwise provided in this chapter.

What is the pay for an election commissioner?

Are they treating chain of custody of machines and ballots like live grenades? Aren't there lawyers for both sides as observers in the polling places, watching the voting and each other?

Third world county = third world results.

This will make the national news, confirming that Mississippi is a backwater third world state.

Why should my tax money pay for the Democrats to nominate someone?

7:18 for the WIN!

8:10 and 8:12 - yes, political parties run the primaries. State law also ALLOWS for a party to contract with the commission or the circuit clerk for them to run the primary.

BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IS UNDER DISCUSSION HERE.

The Democrats and the Republicans have run their primary in Hinds County for the past several years; however the Election Commission has insisted on a contract being executed between the parties and the Commission so that they could go to the BOS and get paid extra money - basically for doing what state law requires THEM to do.

The running of the primary is not the issue. Just like attorney Blackmon did, you have pulled ONE section of the code and used that as if it covers everything related to an election. The County is required to provide certain services --- and ALL materials and equipment. The provision of those services, materials and equipment is what???? The responsibility of the Election Commission.

I could cut and past several other sections of the election code that provide the roles of the Commission for ALL ELECTIONS, including primaries but I'm not going to bore everyone who would skip over it just as I'm sure they did with your C/P of one section. But just for quick reference - read 23-15-351 AUTHORITY TO PRINT BALLOTS. Read it for yourself, but since I feel sure you wont', it says: "It shall be the duty of the chair of the election commission to have printed all necessary ballots for use in elections, except ballots in municipal elections......." One responsibity of the commission as was stated in this circus labeled as a meeting, but ignored.

Thanks for your legal opinion - if you are looking for employment let me suggest the Blackmon and Blackmon firm, they evidently read statute as you do - one piece at a time.

Someone mentioned 'the medical community' and 'tests'. May I be the first to recommend monthly random drug tests for all Election Commissioners as well as for their attorney?

Further, I would recommend that in the event of four (4) or more positives in any six-month period, the position is automatically vacated and that, in this event, statutory procedures already in place be implemented.

@4:23. Shakespeare's "first we must kill all the lawyers" is a compliment to lawyers. The speaker of the line (the antagonist in the play) makes the statement while conspiring to murder the king and engage in anarchy. He knows the lawyers will fight him for truth and justice. Hence, he wants to kill lawyers.

How can they just opt out? Can the SoS do something?

Thank you February 3, 2024 at 11:32 PM. Someone answered the question: "The Democrats and the Republicans have run their primary in Hinds County for the past several years; however the Election Commission has insisted on a contract being executed between the parties and the Commission so that they could go to the BOS and get paid extra money - basically for doing what state law requires THEM to do."

The contract and extra money.

Now, do both political parties have to go to the supreme court to get this shit cleaned up so voters can actually vote in the primaries? The political parties and/or the Sec of State need to be proactive NOW and get things in place for the election.

It is absurd that 81 counties have no issue but Hinds County....

You should have seen Horton at the last board of supervisors work session. Showed up in a bright red sweat suit. No professional pride whatsoever.

That's the one with those eyes. It is so strange to me be because every time she is on camera, she is looking up, down, around the room, left, right, anywhere but at the person asking the question.

So, tell me why anyone would run or help in elections these days?

Experienced people are not inclined to subject themselves to the threats and slander that parades as political dialogue these days.

And, since no new person elected knows the job until they win, those who do understand how things work used to help the new people settle in. The building contains information including contact information. And, some of the legalese needs translation and that has zero to do with reading comprehension.

That's not only rarely done these days, IF the person who held the job before was defeated or had a conflict in party loyalty or hell...didn't get along at PTA with the new person, the records and document describing the job are destroyed before the new guy or gal gets a key to the office. That has happened at the Governor's level in many states and our last President took all but the few classified document that weren't already someplace else, with him to a resort!

So, it seems to me more than a few of us have lost their minds to politics.

My question is why, instead of immediately dog cussing these people, and using them for political fodder,didn't someone go to them individually and offer to help ? Why didn't someone explain how this could have been avoided and can be in the future?

Where did any of you come up with the notion that belittling and treatening others is how to be persuasive or solve a problem? Is that how YOU are motivated to do better?

And, why in the hell don't y'all get that we NEED those we ELECT to SUCCEED at their job?

I don't know who I voted for or even if they were opposed. But, I do know BOTH parties have a PATRIOTIC obligation to make sure our government succeeds! And I'm CERTAIN that both parties used to do that! BOTH parties have , thanks to the vitriol forgotten their PURPOSE ...their GOAL should be to govern BETTER than the OTHER party but their first DUTY is to make sure their city, their state and our NATION doesn't FAIL in any way.

Leaders in government of BOTH parties are suppose to SERVE not make money for themselves or win popularity contests. They are to do the right and best thing EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT POPULAR.  

Thanks to all who provided the citations I requested. It's clear to me now that the election commissioners of the county and the executive committee of the political parties each have different duties and responsibilities for primary elections under state law.

“The ballot boxes provided by the election commissioners in each county shall be used in primary elections, and the county executive committees shall distribute them to the voting precincts . . . ” Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-267(1).

“The county executive committee shall have printed all necessary ballots, for use in primary elections.” Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-333(1).

So, in primary elections, it appears that the county election commission provides the ballot boxes, and the county executive committee of the political parties distribute them and are responsible for having the ballots printed.

Both are necessary parties to primary elections.

-2/3 at 4:10

Thank you 1:16 for your very 'thoughtful and well researched' analysis. Just like Barbara Blackmon, you have taken two specific statutes and reached an answer.

There are several other statutes involved - let me just give you one - to consider before you jump to your absolute resolution of this question:

MCA 23-15-351 It SHALL (emphasis added) be the duty of the CHAIR OF THE ELECTION COMMISSION (again, emphasis added) of each county to HAVE PRINTED ALL necessary ballots for use in elections, EXCEPT (again, emphasis added) ballots in municipal elections.......and the election commissioner SHALL cause the official ballot to be printed by a printer sworn to keep the ballots secret under the penalties prescribed by law. The printer shall deliver to THE ELECTION COMMISSIONERS (again, need I say it, added) for holding elections, a certificateof the number of ballots printed for each precinct, and shall not print any additional ballots, except on instruction of proper ELECTION COMMISSIONERS.

This is just one of many sections of the code that provide specific duties for the Elecion Commissioners to perform --- even in primary elections.

Since you jumped to your resolution of this question because of someone providing two citations, how are you going to respond when you realize there are hundreds of other statutory provisions contained in MCA 23-15 that add additional factors that must be considered?

Just like attorney Blackmon attempted to feed the fish around the table with a couple of sections, you chose to ignore all the rest of the code.

Good place for summary of who is responsible for what

https://www.hindscountyms.com/elected-offices/election-commission

Kingfish said: "Showed up in a bright red sweat suit. No professional pride whatsoever."

If you look closely at the photo that shows Pete Perry sitting amongst several others, you'll see a fellow off to Pete's left in a bright red warmup suit or jump suit. Is that the same clown? Surely there are not TWO guys who attend these meetings in the same attire.

I’m talking about the Board of Supervisors work session, you’re talking about the Commission meeting.

2:36 pm - rather than a website put together by Hinds County folks, a better, much better, place to see who is responsible for what is called the Mississippi Election Code. It can be found in Section 23, Chapter 15 of the Mississippi Code. And it has a lot of parts and pieces - not just one or two sections that some people who profess to be lawyers quote, ignoring those other little pieces that also apply.

11:07 pm - didn't mean to offend. Just sharing. Code is the best place to go, I agree, but it would be impossible to print it here.

For anyone interested, go to supreme court website
https://courts.ms.gov/index.php

Go to "Research" and choose MS Code
Takes you to LexisNexis.

Go to Title 23, Elections, click to open it
Go to Chapter 15, Ms Election Code, click to open it.
You can then choose which Article you want to see.

Kingfish, commission rescinded their vote, now they say they will be there. This is just absurd.

I think the U.S. should do what they forced other countries to do. Paint their thumb red when they vote. I do know we haven't had an honest election in my life time and I am over 70 years old.

4:06: So you're old enough to remember when Hollywood worked for the government to produce fake movies of the moon landing.