Election results are accepted

CHARLESTON -- The certified Nov. 7 election results were accepted Thursday at the Mississippi County Commission meeting.

Election results were canvassed Wednesday morning and certified, according to County Clerk Junior DeLay.

DeLay related how a group of people came in a little after 11 p.m. on election day "just asking questions."

He said they had concerns about the duplicate ballots being marked due to overvotes.

DeLay said a lot of ballots on which the voter used an X or check mark were kicked out by the tabulator as an overvoted ballot -- a ballot in which more than a single candidate is marked. "We had to have a lot of those duplicated," he said.

DeLay explained a resolution team works to determine voter intent and if determined, duplicate the ballot.

Many of the ballots kicked out for overvotes only had a tiny dot in the oval which DeLay said were probably from the voter just setting the pen point down before selecting and marking their vote.

* A beaver trapper is working in the county to eliminate beavers so their dams can be cleared and proper drainage flow can be restored.

"This is the same beaver man we used last year," Oliver said.

* The county's ability to pass ordinances relating to public nuisances can not be used to address vicious dogs, according to Prosecuting Attorney Darren Cann.

"Darren said you can not have a leash law," DeLay reported. "You can not have a leash law unless you have planning and zoning."

Blumenberg said the only solution appears to be having county law enforcement handle the problem.

"That's the only recourse you've got is the sheriff," Oliver agreed.

"I've had two calls this week on dogs," Blumenberg said. "It is a problem."