Elections board had no other choice

Editorials

October 19, 2006

Anonymous The Daily Southerner Thu Oct 19, 2006, 01:10 PM EDT

We do not think the Edgecombe County Board of Elections had any choice Tuesday than to find Andre Knight is not a resident of the county.

That's what the evidence showed although plenty of people gave sworn testimony he lived at 1517 Cherry St. in Rocky Mount, which is in Edgecombe County.

Thus, the board voted 2-1 to remove his name from the voter registration lists. Board member Sam Branch disagreed and voted the way he saw it.

Knight's seat on the Rocky Mount City Council representing Ward 1 is in jeopardy.

The Rev. Roosevelt Higgs of Speed brought the charge that challenged Knight's residency. Knight himself was going to challenge Higgs' residency – we are not making this up – but since Knight is found not to be an Edgecombe resident, his challenge was disallowed.

Knight’s attorney Antonio Lawrence of Rocky Mount gave a notice of appeal after the verdict. It now goes to Edgecombe County Superior Court.

As Southerner Staff Writer Laura Ashley Lamm reported, after the hearing adjourned, the crowded room stood and joined in with Rocky Mount City Councilman Reuben Blackwell in singing, “We Shall Overcome.”

"I wasn't surprised (by the ruling)," Lawrence said. "Mrs. (Board Chairwoman Gladys) Shelton had already formed an opinion that was biased and her actions demonstrated it. If you listen to her comments, you would know she was biased."

Somebody needs to say it out loud: Gladys Shelton and Betty Lewis are solid citizens, literally above reproach. Neither showed any bias during the hearing.

The Rev. Dr. William Barber, state president of the NAACP, said, "This is a place where we take a stand. We will not allow people to use other people to bamboozle out voters (in Rocky Mount). We want Andre to know we will forward this to the national office who has sued other districts.

"A new civil rights movement starts here in Edgecombe County," Barber said. "The issue cannot stand and we will not allow it."

We think the evidence clearly showed Knight does not live on Cherry Street. We do not see anything racial in the ruling.

It's a shame that some people feel the need to try to play the race card because they disagree with the board's ruling. It's disappointing, tiresome and hurts the cause.

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