Hearing sets mayoral recount rules
The Republican and Democratic attorneys disagreed on how many personnel members should be allowed to conduct the recount.
David Brooks, attorney for the Delaware County Republicans, argued that recount directors should be added and used as resources for the recount commission.
Brooks also suggested the addition of teams of one Democrat and one Republican to conduct the recount.
Democrat attorney Joseph Hunter, however, said "The less people, the better.
"You get too many people milling around, it's going to be confusion," he added.
Hunter wants just the three-member commission to conduct the recount, he said.
Judge Barnet gave the attorneys until 4 p.m. Monday to submit any further proposed instructions for the commission.
Updated: Members of black community allege racism behind investigation:
"Vicious, closet racism."
Those were the words of Hurley Goodall on Friday night as he gathered with about 100 other local residents, most of them black, to speak out against what they say is an unnecessary and unfair Republican investigation of voting in Precinct 18, a predominantly black precinct.
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When contacted by The Star Press late Friday and told of the allegations of racism, Republican attorney David Brooks responded, "What is it that we're doing that's racist?
"Sixty-seven percent of the votes cast were by absentee ballot. Based on my experience, somewhere going on 30 years working in elections, that is a quite unusual percentage," Brooks said. "The initial concern with that precinct was totally color-free. I'm looking at election results. I couldn't tell you today what percentage of African-American population is in Precinct 18. The precinct was selected by me based on election returns and phone calls and complaints from people and voters in that precinct."
But that's not how some at Friday's rally see it.
"It's not about what I did or what other people did. It's about who we are," said Harry Scates Jr., a truck driver who was among that majority of Precinct 18 voters who cast an absentee ballot last month.
"What we're concerned about is when is it going to stop? When are we not going to be targeted in our community, not only our voting, but police brutality?" asked Bishop H. Royce Mitchell, president of the Collective Coalition of Concerned Clergy.
Mitchell, who lives in Precinct 18, supported Goodall's call for an outside investigation.
Some allege this year's Republican investigation is about more than just this one election. It's about future voting in Muncie.
Mayor-elect Mansfield, who attended the event, said his transition plans are on hold until a recount of the mayoral race is finished later this month.
"At this present time in this community there seems to be an effort to discourage people from voting, especially in Precinct 18," Mansfield said. "The frustration for me is that I can't move forward (and fill positions in his administration.) So I have to wait for this recount commission, and I will."
But it was Herbert Murphy Jr. who got the crowd on its feet. Murphy has been a precinct committeeman for 32 years and his family has been criticized and accused of voter fraud in the past. When Murphy said he could handle that criticism, the crowd responded with a standing ovation.
"They're after the absentees for one reason, to overthrow this election," he said. "It's not pertaining to this election. It's for the next election."
Does anyone else see a standard Republican attack on Democratic voters? Meanwhile, Sharon McShurley also prepares to take office.
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