An Unusual Sample Ballot

Last Friday, a black woman was handing out fliers at the stoplight at the intersection of Robinson Road Extension and McDowell Road in southwest Jackson. The heading on the flier is "Sample Ballot General Election November 4, 2008... HINDS COUNTY STATE OF MISSISSIPPI." The name of the person or group behind the flier is not given, but there are two phone numbers for rides to the polls: 601-362-0851 (Jackson) and 866-423-6643 (Hinds).

It's far from being a complete Hinds County ballot. For the partisan offices listed, starting with president/vice president, the names of the Democratic nominees are printed in big bold letters, with a check mark in the brackets next to their names. The names of the non-endorsed candidates are printed in letters so tiny that one almost needs a magnifying glass to see them.

Besides the Obama-Biden ticket, the endorsees include Erik Fleming for U. S. senator and Bennie Thompson for the Second District in the U. S. House.

Strangely, the special U. S. Senate election between the Republican Roger Wicker and the Democrat Ronnie Musgrove is left off.

In the nonpartisan races for county election commissioner, the candidates for Districts 1 and 2 are included. One of the two Democrats running in District 1, W. Jean Lavine, is endorsed (there is one Republican candidate, Marilyn Avery, in that district). In District 2, both candidates are Democrats, and Bobbie Graves is the endorsee.

In the Central District for Supreme Court justice, Jim Kitchens is endorsed over Ceola James and the incumbent Jim Smith.

The only other race shown on the flier is the seven-candidate special election for District 3 constable. Canera Jelks gets the endorsement there.

I've seen lots of sample ballots in my lifetime, but this is the first one I've ever seen that (1) lists a selective number of offices, and (2) does not say who produced it.