Mayor Francis Slay supporters filed a compliant against Lewis Reed’s sample ballots, alleging they were fraudulent and misleading.
Tips from the community suggest the complaint came from the 5th Ward, where Michelle Hutchings-Medina is running against Alderwoman-elect Tammika Hubbard and is aligned with Reed.
The Board of Commissioners reviewed the case and sided with Reed’s campaign, according to a letter from the commission. Attorney Brad Ketcher appeared in person to represent the “complainant,” and he offered the sample ballot as an exhibit and testimonies from Louise Tonkovich, Greg Daley and Sharon Carpenter.
The decision reads:
The Board of Election Commissioner’s received a Complaint regarding the attached Exhibit “A” requesting that the attached election material be seized. The Complaint alleged that the attached Exhibit “A” was fraudulent because: 1) The Official Democratic Party Organizations in these Wards have not endorsed Reed’s candidacy and, in fact, have endorsed Mayor Slay’s re-election; and 2) the sample ballots are fraudulent, misleading and subject to seizure by the Board of Election Commissioners pursuant to 115.637(2)R.S.Mo.
The Board of Election Commissioners conducted a hearing, after providing notice to all parties involved. Attorney Brad Ketcher appeared in person on behalf of Complainant and offered Exhibit” A” along with the testimony of Louise Tonkovich, Greg Daley and Sharon Carpenter. No one appeared on behalf of the Committee to Elect Reed. After all evidence adduced, the Board of Election Commissioners renders its unanimous decision that Exhibit “A”, on its face, and taken as a whole, is not false or fraudulent. Complainant’s request for seizure is denied.