Hello, Florida. Meet Mississippi. You two states are about to have something in common.
Similar to the Democrats in Florida in the 2004 presidential elections, Mississippi democrats are up in arms about the 2008 November election ballot, although maybe on a smaller level. The major difference is that Mississippi is trying to solve the problem before it really starts.
A judge in Hinds County ruled last week that the election ballot was illegal because of the placement of the special senate election, which will be between former Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove and Republican Roger Wicker, at the end of the ballot. The special election is taking place because of former Sen. Trent Lott’s decision to step down his position last year. Since then, Wicker, appointed by Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, has been serving in Lott’s place until an election could take place.
Democrats in the state are worried that separating this election from the other federal elections on the ballot, which are placed at the top, will confuse voters and cause a loss of votes for Musgrove, who was defeated by Barbour in 2003.
Republicans are coming back with the argument that since the ballots are now electronic, it is practically impossible for voters to miss any of the elections, no matter how far down they are.
Barbour has appealed the decision to the Mississippi Supreme Court – which has favored the governor in the past. He says the law doesn’t specify ballot order in terms of special elections, and the ballot is composed according to those that preceded it.
Hinds County Circuit Clerk Judge Tomie Green begs to differ. Green, the judge who ruled the ballot illegal, says the law is specific enough to determine the special election should be placed with the rest of the federal elections at the top of the ballot.
This battle for the ballot is interesting because it shows how close the senate race is in Mississippi. The seat has been held by the GOP since Lott was elected in 1988, two decades ago. If Musgrove is elected it could mean a whole new playing field for the Democratic party in a state that votes largely Republican on the national level.
What’s even more interesting is that in an attempt to make the ballot easier to understand for voters, voters are getting more confused.
“This election has been particularly confusing already, Roger Wicker having stepped in for Trent Lott only a few months ago,” Lawrence Correll, 24, said. “Now with this ballot issue, I have talked to several people who find themselves even more confused about what is going on with this election. I hope they settle this situation soon, for everyone’s sake.”
Whatever the court decides today one party will have won a small victory. Hopefully, a better understanding of the ballots will come with it.
To read the series of Clarion Ledger articles about the ballot debate, go to http://search.clarionledger.com/sp?aff=1100&skin=100&keywords=ballot.