Harreld says split precincts issue
Republican Jim Harreld filed an election challenge on Monday alleging the results of the Nov. 5 District 4 supervisor general election do not reflect the "true will of the voters" and is asking for a new election.
According to Harreld's petition, there were issues with improper votes throughout several of the 16 precincts, particularly in split precincts. Certified results show Harreld lost to Democrat Karl Banks by 57 votes.
The petition argues that poll managers in three split precincts — Fellowship Bible Church, Twin Lakes Baptist Church and Canton National Guard Armory — provided improper ballots to voters.
The petition argues that 24 residents of District 4 were not given the proper ballot to vote for supervisor, and 116 voters were given to people outside of District 4 to vote in that race.
The petition also alleges that 33 illegal absentee ballots were accepted and counted but should not have been due to a number of infractions, from no voter signature on the application to no witness signatures. Additionally, the petition alleges that nine affidavit ballots were improperly accepted.
Furthermore, the petition alleges that 11 voters at the Ridgeland First United Methodist Church precinct who do not reside in District 4 voted for Banks on Nov. 5. Approximately 25 other voters at Canton Anderson Lodge, Madison County Baptist Family Life Center and Tougaloo precincts also voted in the race though they do not reside in District 4.
Harreld is asking the court to overturn the election and order a special election.
"Unfortunately, as a result of the numerous errors and departures from mandatory provisions of the Mississippi election law in he conduct of the election, the true will of the voters of District 4 cannot be determined," Harreld stated in a release. "As a result, our campaign is left with no other option than to seek a new election to be held in accordance with Mississippi election law."
Banks said on Tuesday that he and his legal team will review the challenge and "go from there."
He said in their review they did not find any voting irregularities.
Banks was the longtime supervisor representing District 4 before he lost by two votes in 2015 to Republican challenger David Bishop. Bishop was defeated this year by Harreld in the Republican primary.