Democrats' Lawsuit on Early-Voting Issue Is Latest of Several Challenges

Litigation charges Election Commission's decision on sites and times was pre-arranged, favored Republicans, and disenfranchised Democrats and others. Expedited challenge asking return to May early-voting pattern to be heard in Chancery Court on Monday.


The two lawsuits filed in Chancery Court this week on behalf of Shelby County Democrats and the NAACP, respectively, are but the latest of several challenges to the election authorities of Shelby County in recent years.

The two suits are both scheduled for emergency hearing on Monday. One — filed by Myron Lowery and local Democratic chair Corey Strong — is slated for hearing by Chancellor JoeDale L. Jenkins at 10:30 a.m. The other, filed by the NAACP, is scheduled in the court of Chancellor Jim Kyle. When things are sorted out Monday, it is possible that the suits will be combined for joint hearing under a single chancellor.

Both suits merit expedited status because what is at stake are the rules under which early voting for the forthcoming county general election. The early voting period is July 13-July 28.

Like previous challenges over the years — notably a mass legal action filed by almost all of the party’s losing candidates in the county general election of 2010 — the suits filed Friday reflect a general skepticism regarding the electoral process and a disbelief in the fairness of the system at large.

Read more: https://www.memphisflyer.com/JacksonBaker/archives/2018/07/08/democrats-lawsuit-on-early-voting-issue-is-latest-of-several-challenges