To the editor:
I am responding to the story that appeared in The Pee Dee Post on Oct. 30, 2014 (Commissioner candidate distributes illegal sample ballots).
There is a statement that needs correction. The statement made by me was not written in its entirety.
“… But black people don’t vote,” is not correctly stated. I said that “if black people don’t know, they won’t go.” That statement, correctly worded, had appeared previously in the article and that was my official statement on the matter.
I also spoke of the disparity of treatment regarding candidates and that as a candidate I can’t campaign or go door-to-door, nor put signs in the yards in white communities. I was quoted as referring to disparity between black and white voters — again, this is not my words as stated.
It is correct that I do not back down from my original intent. It is necessary that we serve as activists and freedom fighters in our communities:
* The rules regarding voting have changed so much and many people do not keep up these changes the way that I do and that is why I have been busy all of 2014 educating the public. I have done this in previous years as well.
The straight party ticket voting is no longer allowed. If there is no education, how will the voters know how to use the ballot effectively where all the persons are voted on individually? There is no more one-stop registration and voting. There will soon be voter ID requirements. There is no more out-of-precinct voting. The period for early voting has been shortened. Locations to vote also change frequently. There is no Sunday voting in Richmond County. The list of changes is quite numerous.
I take responsibility for the error. I run a one-man campaign practically and unfortunately this disclaimer requirement just fell through the cracks. I also take responsibility for diligently working/getting the black people to turn out and vote. I hope all the means exercised to suppress the voter participation will not be effective in the days to come.
Again, there have been many ballots out there in the past (not mine) that lacked disclaimers and the person responsible for the error was simply told to correct it and that was the end of the story and nothing more became of it.
Dear public, let it be understood the problem here is not the ballot’s information. The problem here is I failed to use the disclaimer clause unintentionally.
I have known Mr. Moody for several years. Mr. Moody has always acted very chummy and friendly with me. He also came to commissioners’ meetings and would take my picture while we were in session. I asked him to share the pictures with me and his reply was “maybe.”
Peggy Covington
The letter writer is a resident of Rockingham and one of six candidates for county commissioner in a contest that includes incumbents Thad Ussery, Don Bryant and Ben Moss along with challengers Herbie Long and Donnie Richardson.