A discussion about a potential new polling place in Sunflower County’s District 3 quickly turned combative during this past Monday’s meeting of the board of supervisors.
Sunflower County NAACP Chapter President Charles Modley was vocal about his disagreement with the proposed new polling place at Mt. Beulah M.B.Church, accusing the board of continuing decades of “voter suppression” and suggested several times the board and Circuit Clerk Carolyn Hamilton have not been transparent about the process.
Modley is adamant the gym at Carver Elementary School is the ideal polling place. Hamilton said traffic at the school, which apparently already provides its auditorium for elections, has been less than ideal.
“We shouldn’t be trying to continue to suppress the voters in this district,” Modley said, before directly addressing Board Attorney Johnny McWilliams. “That still is a form of voter suppression, Mr. Williams, while you’re frowning. It’s another ploy to keep our people from coming out and voting like they should be voting. We’ve been suppressed for over 30-something years. We have given up our share. We have negotiated for over 30 years. Give us a chance. Give us a piece of the pie. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”
Modley’s verbiage quickly drew a rebuke from McWilliams.
“To the extent it is necessary, on behalf of the board of supervisors, I deny that there has been any sort of intentional voter suppression,” McWilliams said. “I would note that the precinct lines which are in place, were established, as you say, probably more than 30 years ago, and have been through the process with the Department of Justice at least three times. So, that’s just not the case. If they want to change it, fine, but it’s not because of voter suppression.”
Hamilton said that during the second meeting in December, there was talk about combining two voting precincts in District 3 and also creating a new one.
“We were not trying to add an additional precinct, because we were trying to keep the costs the same. An additional precinct means potentially paying more poll managers to work,” Hamilton said.
At the request of District 3 Supervisor Ben Gaston, Hamilton met with the heads of the Republican and Democratic Executive Committees, along with the election commissioner for District 3 to discuss a new location.
She said they were all in agreement that Carver was not an ideal location.
Hamilton said she offered up two other churches as potential places, including Pleasant Green near Carver and New Jerusalem, but Mt. Beulah was the only one to that point that had agreed to be a polling place.
When they reached an impasse with Modley, she said, she did not engage the other two churches.
“We weren’t trying to be difficult,” Hamilton said. “We were trying to compromise, and he wasn’t willing to compromise on Carver.”
Modley said he did not agree with using a church at all.
“In our community, we have over 70-something Black churches,” Modley said. “The question will be asked, ‘Where’s Pleasant Green?’ A lot of voters does not go to church. A lot don’t feel comfortable going to a church to vote anyway.”
Modley said there is a misconception about traffic near the Carver gym, which he said would see little interference from normal school flow.
“What I suggest is we use the gym,” Modley said. “I measured off the gym on Saturday. It’s over 100 yards from the gym at Carver to Hannah Street.”
Modley said there is a space that used to be used for basketball that is ideal for parking.
“It won’t be traffic down on that end, Mrs. Hamilton,” Modley said. “There’s a lot of room down there. You can park on both sides of the street.”
The board’s president spoke up and indicated that he had done his own impromptu traffic study in the area on the morning of the board meeting, and the results were not in Modley’s favor.
This prompted a back-and-forth between the two.
“If anybody votes against me for speaking my decision, for making a decision, you will have to do it,” Rice said. “I went down Jefferson, because I used to live on Jefferson. They have a crossing guard at the gym. I looked, and there’s no parking there for those people if they try to go to the gym.”
Rice repeatedly said he was going to be fair in his decision.
“Look out for your own people, Mr. Rice,” Modley said.
Rice shot back, “I’m looking out for my own people. This is election year, and I’m going to make a decision…I serve the people, and I marched with Fannie Lou Hamer, I went to jail, and I’m going to be fair.”
“That’s not fair,” Modley said.
Rice said he would agree to locate the new polling place at Pleasant Green, pending approval from the church.
Gaston said he was willing to make a motion during the meeting to accept the recommendation of the circuit clerk.
“Charles, I appreciate your interest,” Gaston said. “I understand the reasons you want to do what you want to do. This board is going to accommodate your overall concerns.”
When speaking about polling precincts, Gaston added, “Neither one of us are qualified. I asked the circuit clerk to get with the committees of each parties.”
Gaston was interrupted by Modley.
“Modley, I’m not going to argue with you. I’m just going to tell you what I’m going to do,” Gaston said.
Marvin Elder, who was there as a representative of the local NAACP chapter spoke as well from the podium, seeming to agree to compromise and settle on Pleasant Green.
There was no official motion or vote by the board. The issue was tabled until this coming Monday’s meeting when Hamilton will update on whether the other two churches are open to hosting the next election on Aug. 8.
