Circuit Judge yet to rule in Canton election drama

Circuit Judge yet to rule in Canton election drama

Posted

With party primaries set to commence at the beginning of next month for municipal elections, Canton election officials and candidates remain caught in the middle of a legal tussle between two Democratic Party Election Commissions vying to represent the party in the upcoming elections.

Chair of the elected Canton Municipal Democratic Election Commission John Scanlan said he hopes to have a decision soon in an evidentiary hearing that commenced last week in Circuit Court in front of Special Judge Lamar Pickard. The hearing seeks to determine which committee is charged with running next month’s Canton Democratic Party municipal primary. 

Two separate committees have made competing claims to running the election and certifying candidates.

The dispute arose after a couple of duly-elected Canton Municipal Democratic Election Commissioners resigned following their election in 2017, Scanlan said.

The trial commenced and concluded last week and Pickard is yet to hand down a decision. Scanlan said he is in court Wednesday, March 10, for a similar hearing with candidates William Truly, for mayor, and his wife Natwassie Truly, who have been deemed disqualified by the elected Democratic Party Municipal election commission over residency issues.

Scanlan said that he expected a decision after the Truly case closed. He said that he hoped to have ballots printed by the close of business on Friday.

Municipal primaries will be held April 6 with any necessary runoffs on April 27 and the general election will be held on June 8.

Scanlan said that two of the elected commission members resigned and were later replaced. He said Truly and State Rep. Ed Blackmon held a meeting to form a new committee citing a law that allows a municipality to form a temporary political party committee in the event one is not formed.

Scanlan contends the commission created by Truly and Blackmon is unlawful since the commission he chairs already existed.

Truly’s formation of a new commission coincides with the filing of a list of qualified and unqualified candidates by the original Canton Municipal Democratic Election Commission. Truly, and his wife, Democrat Election Commissioner Natwassie Truly, were both listed as unqualified for “residency” reasons, according to a document filed with the circuit clerk’s office.

Truly’s challengers have in the past raised questions about Truly’s residency, suggesting he lives outside the city limits, though no challenge has been successful.

Others on the “not qualified” list are Ward 1 Alderman Rodriquez Brown, Ward 2 Alderman Fred Esco Jr. both for residency and Ward 6 Alderman candidate Monica Johnson Gilkey for “failure to appear/attest before clerk.”

The list of candidate submissions was signed by “John J. Scanlan, Chair, Legitimate Canton Municipal Democrat Election Commission.”

Esco and others were plaintiffs in last week’s hearing. They were represented by David Humphreys in court. Scanlan was represented by Jerry Mills and John Scanlon.

During the trial, Scanlan was called to the stand and asked about their vetting process for determining candidates’ residence. 

Meanwhile, Canton aldermen in February voted to abolish the city’s election commission and are asking the county Board of Supervisors to take over municipal elections.

Truly vetoed the decision, but the aldermen overrode him.

The county has yet to take action on the request from Canton, with supervisors instead waiting to see what happens in court.






Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions