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George Bush for President Education Rally
I am a Republican because...
Current Events for the 2000 Elections
Fall Rally
The Washington County Republican Party is planning a fall pre-election rally. The event will be held at the Washington County Convention Center on October 17th.
A catered catfish dinner and local entertainment is planned. National Republican have been invited to speak including Senator Trent Lott, and Representative J. C. Watts from Oklahoma.
A big screen TV will be available for the Presidential debate between George W. Bush and Al Gore.
Tickets will be available soon from members of the Washington County Executive Committee and will be $10.00 each.
If you are interested in helping with the rally your input and participation would be welcome. Please contact Collins Brent at (662) 378-4700 to volunteer or for additional information.
Your Right To Vote
Under Mississippi law, the right to vote is universal with only a few narrow exceptions. Generally speaking any adult resident of Washington County has the right to register and vote. Exceptions to the right to vote include only two groups of persons, those persons who have been committed or adjudicated non compos mentis and those persons who have a felony conviction.
The details of these qualifications are found in Title 23, Chapter 15 Section 11 of the Mississippi Code. First, a prospective voter must be an "inhabitant" of this state. This term is generally understood to require actual residency with the intention to remain a resident. Next, the statute excludes "idiots and insane persons" from the voter rolls. Although these are fairly vernacular terms in and of themselves, in this context they are understood to be limited to committed individuals, non compos mentis individuals and individuals over whom a conservatorship has been established. The next requirement is that the potential elector be a citizen of the USA, either by birth or naturalization. The following requirement is that the potential voter be either eighteen years of age or older. Although the residency requirement in the Mississippi Constitution demands one year residency prior to voting, that provision has been struck down as unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment to th e Constitution of the United States of America. Therefore, the Mississippi legislature has reduced the residency requirement by statute to thirty days prior to the date of election. Registration to vote is also required and must be done so at least thirty days before the election. Finally, the statue makes ineligible all persons who have been convicted of murder, rape, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement or bigamy. This list has been interpreted as nonexclusive and may include similar misdemeanors as well as the expressly listed felonies.
In the past the right to vote was very limited. Most of the population was disenfranchised. Now the right to suffrage is nearly universal, limited in only very restricted situations and only for very good reason. Each qualified elector has a voice and ought to use it, and vote, at every opportunity.——Brad Golmon
Mark These Dates!
GEORGE W. BUSH FOR PRESIDENT EDUCATION RALLY
"No Child Left Behind"
Join Congressman Chip Pickering, GOP Chairman Mike Retzer, and MFRW President Jeanne Luckey on Saturday, September 9th at 10 a.m. on the South steps of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson. A reception will follow in the Capitol Rotunda. For more information call Ann Hebert, 228-769-3566.
Levee Board
The entire Delta was saddened at the death in June of Murry Alexander of Greenville. Alexander had been elected to serve as a commissioner of the Mississippi Levee Board in July of 1978 and was re-elected and served continuously until his death on June 21, 2000.
During his time of service, he was a member of several committees dealing with Upper Steele Bayou and Levee maintenance contracts. Alexander served as the Levee Board’s vice-president from April 6, 1998, until his death. He was also active in various community and agricultural activities as well as being a vital member of his church.
The Washington County Board of Supervisors appointed Johnny Robinson to serve as commissioner until the special election scheduled for November 7. Robinson is retired from the Greenville Public School system where he served as principal at McBride Elementary School.
Any candidate wishing to run for Levee Board commissioner must qualify 60 days prior to the special election.——Sharon Neff
Vote Nov. 7th
Voting Record
Does your vote count? It doesn’t if you don’t vote. While people all over the world are fighting for the right to vote and others are facing physical harm or even death when they try to vote in legal elections, many voters in the Delta stay home.
In the latest election, held on June 6 for Mississippi Levee Board Commissioner, only 3,350 out of 34,063 registered voters bothered to cast their ballot. That’s less than 10%.
| Precinct # | Precinct Name | Votes Cast | Eligible Voters |
| 1-1 | Extension Building | 32 | 1593 |
| 1-2 | St. James Epis. Church | 328 | 2364 |
| 1-3 | Swifwater Bapt. Church | 34 | 398 |
| 1-4 | Glen Allen HC | 105 | 622 |
| 1-5 | Italian Club | 414 | 2350 |
| 2-1 | Ward Rec Center | 210 | 2224 |
| 2-2 | Buster Brown | 226 | 2194 |
| 2-3 | Avon Health Center | 70 | 723 |
| 2-4 | Arcola Comm Center | 116 | 719 |
| 2-5 | Grace Temple | 26 | 1167 |
| 3-1 | Tampa Dr. Bldg | 63 | 822 |
| 3-2 | Brent Center | 56 | 1663 |
| 3-3 | Percy Library | 21 | 1251 |
| 3-4 | Mixon-Garrett VFW | 121 | 1847 |
| 3-5 | Metcalfe City Hall | 45 | 708 |
| 4-1 | Elks Lodge | 163 | 2664 |
| 4-2 | Leland Health Center | 475 | 2063 |
| 4-3 | Leland Rotary Bldg | 417 | 1743 |
| 5-1 | Hollandale City Hall | 189 | 2420 |
| 5-2 | Darlove Baptist Church | 19 | 115 |
| 5-3 | St. Paul MB Church | 9 | 27 |
| 5-4 | Grace Methodist | 139 | 1926 |
| 5-5 | Industrial College | 49 | 2460 |
| Affidavit Votes = 14 |
Your vote can count! Remember what a privilege it is and keep in mind no election is too small or too large for your vote to make a difference.—–Sharon Neff
Economic Development
The quality of life in Mississippi is directly related to the strength of our economy. Over the past four years, Mississippi has experienced unprecedented economic growth resulting in new jobs and better opportunities for our citizens. For this reason we, the Mississippi Republicans, believe the creation of new private sector jobs and the continued expansion of our state's economic base should remain a top priority for our state government.
In addition to the record number of new industries which have located new plants in Mississippi, many established industries have expanded their operations in the state. The expansion of existing businesses and industries is a vital part of our state's economic growth, and we should continue to support and encourage their efforts.
As we promote the recruitment and expansion of large businesses and industries in our state, it is essential that we not lose sight of the role small businesses play in our state's economic health. Too often overreaching government regulations discourage innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit. We must seize every opportunity to eliminate the burdens placed on small businesses by government regulations and taxes.
An adequate transportation system is key to our future economic development. We encourage the completion of construction of four-lane highways throughout the state. This project will not only aid in the movement of goods within our state, but will also provide safer avenues of transportation for the people of Mississippi.
In developing new industries in our state, we must not ignore the importance of a healthy and vibrant farm economy. Mississippi's agricultural products are exported to markets around the world. We should continue to seek new export opportunities for agricultural goods so that our farmers will become even more profitable and competitive.
Mississippi is blessed with abundant natural resources. We should capitalize on this asset by encouraging the establishment of industries that process raw materials into finished products in the state for export, thus creating thousands of additional highly compensated new jobs.
The Mississippi Republican Party is dedicated to freedom of choice for all working people. We therefore reiterate our strong support for the Right to Work law.
Absentee Voting
From the office of Eric Clark, Secretary of State for Mississippi, answers to some of your questions about absentee voting:
AM I ELIGIBLE TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT?
HOW DO I APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?
Either in person or by mail, obtain an application for an absentee ballot from your Voter Registrar. For municipal elections, your City, Town or Municipal Clerk is your Voter Registrar and for all other elections the Circuit Clerk of Washington County is your Voter Registrar. The Municipal Clerk is in your City Hall and the Circuit Clerk’s office is in the Washington County Court House on Washington Avenue.
You can also check with these two offices for more information on voting by absentee ballot. The important thing is – make plans now to vote in the next election!