It is not pleasant for me to correct an official of my party. I am a Democrat, but I am compelled to set the record straight. Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman (Paul Smith) said, “I think someone at the Election Commission is not being truthful.”
This was with regard to the controversy concerning Greg Vital having Black voters transported to the polls to vote in the Republican primary.
First, it is not illegal to bring people to vote. It is also not illegal to try to influence a person.
It is illegal to do this within 100 feet of the polling entrance. If this sort of thing was taking place, it was never brought to our attention. Further, we make every effort to see that it is not done.
The only, and I stress only, incident involved a black woman who said it was “her daughter” who was influencing her to take a Republican ballot - a ballot she received since it was the one she finally requested. This was after I told her daughter to cease and to leave. She did and never returned.
The extreme picture of fraud painted by Young Democratic Party President Colby Knecht and supported by Mr. Smith is so off the mark it is absurd.
To bring into question the integrity of Charlotte Mullis Morgan, Steve Gaston and myself could not go unchallenged. We are the ones Smith refers to as being untruthful, and that we greatly resent.
Wilbourne C. Markham Sr.