Sheriel Perkins, the Greenwood mayoral candidate who lost the June 7 election by just six votes, continued her ballot examination today after not quite finishing a search through only two wards Thursday.
Perkins would not say whether any discrepancies have been found. "We're just gathering information now," she said.
The examination could provide evidence for a Leflore County Circuit Court challenge if Perkins should choose to seek one. She has until June 27 to make a decision.
Also, incumbent Mayor Harry Smith has decided to conduct his own ballot examination, starting at 5 this evening, depending on when Perkins finishes.
"I would rather not have to come behind them because that just makes it more difficult for the clerk. Hopefully they will be through today," Smith said this morning.
He said he does not expect Perkins' "examination to affect the outcome of the election. No election is perfect. They might find something, but we might find something too," he said.
Perkins and two attorneys - her husband, Willie Perkins Sr., and an associate from his law office, Carlos Palmer - began Thursday with Ward 1.
The trio worked through the day until they concluded around 7 p.m. with Ward 2. At the end of the day, Sheriel Perkins said there was just a little more work to do in Wards 1 and 2.
According to Perkins, who is attempting to become the first black and first female Greenwood mayor, their aim is to compare the number of voters who signed in at the polls with the number of votes.
The count includes affidavit ballots and curbside ballots.
As required by state law, City Clerk Deirdre Mayes was present as a non-partisan party to monitor the examination. Representing Smith are election consultant John Pittman Hey and Greenwood attorney Luke Schissel.
By law, Perkins has the right to examine the ballots within 12 calendar days after they are certified by the Election Commission.
Perkins was the unofficial victor of the mayoral election of June 7 with a 201 vote lead. But Smith questioned the results, especially in heavily Republican Ward 2.
The final vote, certified June 9, gave Smith 2,489 votes, or 50.1 percent after the three-member Election Commission found a 200-vote error made by a poll worker.
Further errors were discovered, adding votes for both parties. Sheriel Perkins received 2,483 votes, or 49.9 percent. Combined, there are almost 5,000 votes to verify.
"I knew the magnamity of the what I was getting in to. But I want to keep the integrity of the votes so the voters feel it was done right," Perkins said.
"These long days are worth becoming mayor," Perkins said.
