Post by Logan on May 2, 2016 21:40:29 GMT -6
Baltimore election chief defends primary process amid criticism
Baltimore's election chief is defending the integrity of last week's primary amid allegations that some ballots went missing and others were incorrect.
Armstead B.C. Jones Sr., director of the Baltimore City Elections Board, dismissed the accusations, saying his staff carried out their duties properly. He stressed that the election results are unofficial until all votes are counted.
The city board is processing approximately 8,000 provisional ballots and more than 3,800 absentee ballots that are arriving by mail daily, Jones said. He expects the final results to be certified Friday. A Maryland State Board of Elections official said that timeline was not unusual.
"I refuse to let anybody indict this board," Jones told The Baltimore Sun.
But two community activists cited what they termed "irregularities" that they say raise questions about the city's results. The Rev. Cortly "C.D." Witherspoon and Hassan Giordano said they are documenting complaints from voters, and they alleged that problems during early voting and on Election Day might have affected the outcome of several contests, including the mayor's race.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/2016-mayor-race/bs-md-ci-election-questions-20160502-story.html
Baltimore's election chief is defending the integrity of last week's primary amid allegations that some ballots went missing and others were incorrect.
Armstead B.C. Jones Sr., director of the Baltimore City Elections Board, dismissed the accusations, saying his staff carried out their duties properly. He stressed that the election results are unofficial until all votes are counted.
The city board is processing approximately 8,000 provisional ballots and more than 3,800 absentee ballots that are arriving by mail daily, Jones said. He expects the final results to be certified Friday. A Maryland State Board of Elections official said that timeline was not unusual.
"I refuse to let anybody indict this board," Jones told The Baltimore Sun.
But two community activists cited what they termed "irregularities" that they say raise questions about the city's results. The Rev. Cortly "C.D." Witherspoon and Hassan Giordano said they are documenting complaints from voters, and they alleged that problems during early voting and on Election Day might have affected the outcome of several contests, including the mayor's race.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/2016-mayor-race/bs-md-ci-election-questions-20160502-story.html