In the wake of allegations that he didn’t follow protocol in the June 4 election, Greenwood City Clerk Nick Joseph says he did what he does in all elections.
Sheriel Perkins, the Democratic challenger to incumbent Greenwood Mayor Carolyn McAdams, filed a lawsuit Monday against McAdams contesting the results. McAdams beat Perkins by 206 votes in the general election.
In the challenge, Perkins, represented by her husband, Greenwood attorney Willie Perkins, maintains that the city clerk “failed to comply with statutory provisions relating to absentee ballots.”
Perkins accused Joseph of improperly sealing absentee ballots. “Several applications for absentee ballots lack signatures of a witness; none of the applications for absentee ballots contain initial of registrar,” the suit goes on to say.
Fifty-six absentee ballots were cast for McAdams. According to the suit against the mayor, all of those ballots are illegal.
State law mandates that each absentee ballot be both signed and sealed by the registrar — in this case, Joseph.
“As far as I know, I put seals on them accurately,” Joseph said. When asked if he can see any reason for being targeted in the lawsuit, he said he had no idea. “You’d have to ask them,” he said, meaning the Perkinses.
Though this was Joseph’s first Greenwood mayoral election, he said he became familiar with election protocol when he worked for the City of Itta Bena. He also said he followed the exact same regulations he followed during May’s mayoral primary.
• Contact Jeanie Riess at 581-7235 or jriess@gwcommonwealth.com.
