Category: Mayoral election
Posted by Darren Nichols (The Detroit News) on Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 3:41 PMMore murmurs about voter fraud
Jerroll Sanders isn't happy, but won't file a recount in her oh-so-close third place finish in the Aug. 4 mayoral primary. But she told the City Hall Insider today she's continuing ther quest to make sure Detroit elections are run with integrity.
Sanders, who has run twice this year for mayor and just missed the cut to Tom Barrow, is spearheading a group of residents who will meet at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Bethany Baptist Church. There, they plan to discuss accusations of fraud and other issues about Detroit, such as Cobo Center. Sanders has not cited any specifics, but said she's not confident that shelling about nearly $7,000 for a recount would garner a different election result.
"We have to have confidence in our election. They've been fixed for some time," Sanders said. "A recount is not possible because of how the ballots are handled. It's on them to prove they are not (fixed)."
Last Saturday, The News reported the Rev. Dr. Samuel Bullock Jr., pastor of Bethany Baptist, said several residents have raised concerns about the "troubling way" in which some votes were handled, including absentee ballots found lying around and a bin of absentee ballots left unlocked. Bullock said he was a "strong supporter" of Sanders.
Intriguingly, Barrow also has raised questions about the vote. He cited several concerns among residents and mentioned that he wanted a spot check of precincts, but also stopped short of demanding a recount. Officials with the Secretary of State said a complaint has not been filed.
