A 51-year-old ordinance—long forgotten—on the books of Sunflower County is about to experience a resurgence.
At the September 8 meeting of the Sunflower County Board of Supervisors, while discussing a request by Circuit Clerk Carolyn Hamilton to allocate a portion of the parking spaces on the south side of the courthouse for persons needing to do absentee voting, Board Attorney Johnny McWilliams referenced a still-valid 1969 regulation that already prohibits parking in the south side parking area for anyone not specifically conducting business at the courthouse, including employees.
It was decided that the sheriff should enforce the ordinance for now and it would be up to the county lawmakers to decide if it will remain in effect after the upcoming election.
McWilliams suggested installing signs to designate the no parking slots. And they also discussed the possibility of amending the fines associated with violating the law, but no action was taken.
Hamilton’s grounds for the temporary restriction, which would begin September 21 and last until after the November election, is so that those persons needing to vote absentee, especially the elderly, would have easier access to her office. She is only requesting that a portion of the parking lot, closest to the building and ramp be segregated.
Currently, due to COVID-19, the north entrance of the courthouse is closed, compelling visitors and employees to enter through the south entrance so the majority of the workers have been parking on the south side, leaving few, if any, spaces for persons conducting business.
"We are expecting a record number of people to come in and vote," Hamilton said. She noted that during the last presidential election the total was 600, but for this November 3 election, they are expecting that number to be at least four times that amount.
Hamilton stressed that since most of the people voting absentee will have to park and come in to vote, not providing space on the south side would force many of them, especially the elderly, to park on the north side and walk around the courthouse to the south entrance.
Her idea is to have a sheriff’s deputy grant access to the courthouse employees, who will be required to park in the north side parking lot, as they come in to work and depart for lunch and the end of the day.
McWilliams speculated that the decades-old rule was likely voted in to deter parking by non-courthouse visitors or county employees. It was instituted April 7, 1969 and according to McWilliams, violation of the ordinance carries a warning and a minimal fine of $1, but increases to as much as $10 per instance for anyone who defies it.
District 1 Supervisor Glenn Donald asked if erecting a tent outside would be more feasible for handling an incursion of people than having the potential voters come into the courthouse and Hamilton asserted that it would not.
She explained that it would stretch her staff too thin because she will also be in court term during that time and would not have enough deputy clerks available to cover outdoors, inside her office and the courtroom.
In addition, it would be impossible to predict when an influx of people would show up, plus if temporary people were hired they would have to be sworn in and bonded. Hamilton said persons who were just registering to vote could possibly fill out their forms outside, but absentee voting would have to be done differently.
Hamilton mentioned that she would mail out necessary materials to those who may be under quarantine, self imposed or otherwise, due to COVID-19 restrictions. She said that with the validation of an 18-year-old or older witness those persons can vote using a temporarily disabled status.
And it can be mailed back to her without the voter having to go to the Post Office.
In other business,
In anticipation of the large voter turnout, Hamilton also asked that the Ruleville polling place, which is normally the William Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, be permanently changed to the Fannie Lou Hamer Multipurpose Complex, which is a larger facility.
Permission was granted contingent upon Hamilton providing proof of a statute indicating that only 45 days notice is required. “It must be done before the election is created,” she said. And according to her, that had not been done at the time. Hamilton avowed that the public would be adequately informed of the change.
