The Whistle of a Distant Train

Could Republicans be attempting to deceive voters in a hard fought race for Senate seats in Mississippi? That what an editorial in The New York Times explicitly states... that partisan politics are working their way into the ballots themselves. The governor and secretary of state of Mississippi are attempting to place a hotly contested US Senate race onto the bottom of the ballot, below state and local races, with the obvious intention that people would overlook the race and perhaps affect the outcome.

An excerpt from the piece:

"Mississippi election law clearly states that federal elections must go at the top of ballots. And the secretary of state, Delbert Hosemann, plans to list the states other Senate race ? incumbent Thad Cochran is running far ahead of his Democratic challenger, Erik Fleming ? where it belongs, right below the presidential contest.

But Mr. Hosemann argues that because the Wicker-Musgrove race is a special election to fill the remainder of Mr. Lotts term, he is free to place it at the bottom, below state and county races.

Mr. Hosemann is insisting on that placement even after the state attorney generals office notified him that his ballot design violates state law.

Mr. Hosemanns ballot also violates the Voting Rights Act, which requires that changes in election procedures that could make it harder for people to vote ? and this certainly fits that bill ? be cleared in advance with the Justice Department."