Supreme Court Rules Sample Ballot is Illegal
The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled against Gov. Haley Barbour and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann today in their appeal concerning the contested sample November ballot. Justice Jess Dickinsons majority opinion (PDF, 496 KB) stated that the sample ballot, which listed the U.S. Senate race between Roger Wicker and Ronnie Musgrove near the bottom, is illegal.
“With respect to placing on the ballot a United States Senatorial raceҗregardless of whether or not the race is a special electionthe statute’s wordsדThe titles for the various offices shall be listed in the following order"can have but one meaning,” Dickinson wrote.
In deference to the separation of powers, the Court stopped short of actually ordering the governor and secretary of state to issue a revised ballot with the Senate race listed alongside other national elections, but Barbour and Hosemann are expected to comply with the Courtגs interpretation.
LetӒs all take a deep breath this afternoon and see if everyone does the right thing, Sam Begley, attorney for plaintiff Trudy Berger, said, adding that Barbour and Hosemann are both members of the Mississippi Bar.
ԓI have every confidence that they will follow the letter and spirit of the Supreme Courts ruling,Ҕ he said.
Following the decision, Barbour issued a one-line statement, which read: “The Supreme Court has spoken; so be it.”
Posted by Ward Schaefer at 05:26 PM in Headline | Email this entry
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