[StBernard] Vote challenges upset some St. Bernard residents

[Westley Annis]

Vote challenges upset some St. Bernard residents
St. Bernard voters not happy with Landry's challenge

Print Story Published: 11/17 8:42 pm Share Updated: 11/17 11:14 pm 
St. Bernard Parish -- Hundreds of people who voted early for Saturday's
runoff election in St. Bernard Parish started receiving letters Thursday,
stating their votes are being challenged.    

A supporter of Wayne Landry, candidate for St. Bernard Sheriff, filed the
challenge with the registrar of voters office Tuesday.  All of this is
happening less than 36 hours of the polls' opening Saturday. 

Several people whose votes are being challenged told FOX 8 Thursday they're
being targeted with no grounds to back it up.  "This is malicious and
vindictive.. trying to scare people to stop them from voting," said Kathleen
Acosta. 

"I lived here for 41 years, voted every election, and this is the first time
something like this has happened," said Larry Jackson.  "How they picked me,
my wife and myself.. I can prove that from '64 we moved into the parish, and
my first homestead exemption would have been '65," said Bob McNab.

"I've been living here for 34 years.  I have my homestead exemption right
here in my hands and my question is what basis does he have to challenge
me," said Reed Henderson, who's also a candidate in the race for St. Bernard
Parish Assessor. 

We want to help clarify some of this for people in St. Bernard who have
their vote challenged.

FOX 8's Lee Zurik met with the secretary of state's office Tuesday as part
of his ongoing investigation of voter issues in St. Bernard. Authorities
there say, if your vote has been challenged, you are not obligated to attend
the hearing on Saturday. And if you don't attend, that does not mean your
vote will be disqualified.

The burden of proof is on the person making the challenge. They have to
provide the board of election supervisors with proof, like a homestead
exemption, for the board to even consider throwing out your vote.

If the complaint already submitted doesn't have any proof attached to it
now, your vote will not be disqualified. 

So if you don't have a homestead exemption in another parish, according to
the secretary of state, you will be fine.

If you do have a homestead exemption in another parish and the complaint
includes that proof, we are still waiting to hear a ruling on that from the
attorney general. The secretary of state's website, though, does say that
you have to vote in the parish where you currently have a homestead
exemption.