I previously alluded to some reports of less than satisfactory behavior by some campaign workers at some polling precincts on election day.

If I understand the incident correctly, Pam Pederson—through some of her campaign volunteers, who were identified by the wearing of her campaign t-shirts—was distributing the EACC ‘apple ballots’ of the EACC’s endorsements for the Boards of Commissioner and Education that had been modified by highlighting the names of all but two of the candidates running for the Board of Education. The names of Paul Donato and Jennifer Abell were not highlighted. Donato and Abell are the only two registered republicans whose names appeared on the EACC’s endorsed slate, even though the race for the Board of Education is non-partisan.

This action was done, apparently, without the knowledge or consent of the EACC. The EACC’s Meg MacDonald sent out an e-mail to all endorsed candidates to remind them they could not distribute any EACC material if it had been altered. This was e-mail was sent shortly after 1 p.m. after she learned of the incident(s).

Dear Endorsed candidate –

Please note that [t]he apple ballots EACC/MSEA produce are paid for with our PAC dollars (see authority line). If you have volunteers handing them out, they cannot be altered in any way (e.g., highlighted).

If you do not want to give out the apple ballots as is, that’s fine, just return them to us (we’ll have volunteers at the polls 4-6 and 6-8 tonight).

Legally, we are not allowed to coordinate with the campaign of any particular candidate – we promote our own slate with our members PAC contributions. So highlighting your own or others’ names on our apple ballot is a big problem. Please make sure your poll workers understand that. You know how picky the campaign laws are!

Wishing all of you a stunning victory today! We have done our best to promote our Friends of Education in this Primary, and now it’s up to the voters…
Meg

Meg MacDonald
UniServ Director

There are reports that this practice continued even after MacDonald’s e-mail was sent out. This was witnessed by other campaign’s workers as late as 6 p.m.

When confronted, one of Ms. Pederson’s volunteers stated that he was given the ‘apple ballots’ already highlighted, and that he had not altered them. At the time he was confronted he had more than 100 remaining copies of the altered fliers in his possession.

The question was brought up, that since Donato and Abell made it through the primary, did this incident really matter. But, that’s not really the point. The practice is both wrong and illegal, the fact that no one was “harmed” is moot.

One thing is for sure, it has brought to light many questions about the ethics of some running for the Board of Education.

I’m sure this will not be the last we hear of the incident.

Have we become D.C.?? Will we be hearing of vote buying next??  I sure don’t someone that practices this type of dirty trick on the school board.  Shame on you! 

No, not D.C. - Just P.G.

Just to clarify- it was not other endorsed candidates, Dem or Rep. endorsed by the EACC-  just BOE candidates?

As I understand it, the EACC “apple ballots” have the EACC endorsements for candidates for the positions of County Commissioner and the Board of Education, as well as the MSEA endorsements for some state offices.

Further, as I understand it, the only modifications to the “apple ballots” that are being reported were for the candidates for the Board of Education—all candidates for the Board of Education names’ were highlighted, with the exception of Donato and Abell, whose names appeared on the ballot still, but were not highlighted. As I understand it, no other candidate’s name, for any other office, were reported as being altered, modified, marked-out or highlighted.

I do want to say the EACC worked incredibly hard- when this was brought to their attention the text went out to ALL candidates who replied that they understood. I do not think it was up to the EACC to have gone around to each polling place and monitor those they endorsed.

The onus was on the Candidates and their teams to act honorably- especially after they were told by the EACC that what was reported was forbidden.

For any to speak of collusion between Dems and the EACC, I think is quite ludicrous. I know we all worked incredibly hard and to see like this is very frustrating and appalling.

Not speaking for my candidate but for myself personally, as a Republican, the EACC has worked just as hard for us as for the Democrats- and to be frank maybe harder.

We developed a good mutually respectful relationship with each other- and even though we may not agree on everything (who can?) everyone in the two teams from my point of view have respected the other and their work.

For any political group to question motives and find guilt before investigating shows a lack of savvy and negativity. Things we do not need.

The same goes for Republican and Democrats - no matter how many may agree that at our County level, there is no reason for animosity- that there is a great need to work together and be respectful and find the seeds to be respectful: I have started to hear since the primary, divisiveness and derision and having to have unity as a “Party”- not as a Community working together. I thought we were making great strides- but instead it was just hidden under some peoples false smiles.

I have been one to work with all and have made many friends- these fine folks tell me of emails or send me FB posts of other candidates or volunteers and it shows the true character of some- and not in a good light. Let us practice what we say. Walk the walk; people deserve to know who you truly are.

(of course again this is all my own opinion and no one else but mine.)

From what I have heard there is a clique on the BoE, a small coalition if you will, of three board members who are working together to marginalize and distance those with whom they disagree. As I alluded to in my own blog recently, the BoE has often displayed the same insular tendencies so many people find unacceptable within the board of commissioners. Independent or dissenting voices are discouraged and efforts to silence those voices are often made. I’m just as opposed to the “one voice” approach to governance on the BoE as I am on the board of commissioners. I’d love to see the public pay as much attention to the shenanigans going on among certain board of ed members as they have among the commissioners. I think they’ll find a lot more silliness than just the altering of the “apple ballots.” By doing something not only very visible but also illegal, Pederson may have invited a level of scrutiny she won’t be very comfortable with. It’ll be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

Is it possible that mbillard is coming around to thinking some of the thoughts that I have expressed about the BOE?  His latest statements appear that way to me.  I hope mbillard does not consider this opinion as an insult because it is coming from me. Didn’t I recently say that I forgive one prominent member of the BOE for not opposing the “rubber stamping” of a new contract for School Superintendent because I realized that her ‘no’ vote would have made no difference in the outcome based on the votes of others on the BOE and that she would have to ‘rub shoulders’ with the Superintendent for the next 4-years anyway?  This election has apparently gone a long way in cleaning house regarding County Commissioners and now it is time to clean house in the BOE that controls the single biggest budget line-item of taxpayer’s money.  As it is now, we have the teacher’s union looking out for the teachers and the BOE looking out for the school administrators and no one looking out for the students.

Iam, there are certain things re: the BoE I’ve always agreed with you on. The Superintendent’s compensation package is the most prominent and obvious one, but there are plenty others, too. For me it’s not an all or nothing sort of thing. You and I can disagree bitterly one a hundred things (I think we’re at 72 right now) and I’ll readily agree with your next comment if it makes sense to me. There have always been certain aspects of the BoE I don’t like, specifically particular actions they’ve taken internally, ways they’ve handled particular issues, some strong-arm tactics they’ve taken in the past re: agenda items, etc. And although I don’t have much of an opinion on Richmond himself, there is a member of central staff I find to be the most reprehensible individual I’ve ever met. He has no place in an educational system, as far as I’m concerned. The day he alone retires with be a bright day in CCPS’ history.

I have some news about some other less than satisfactory behavior at the polls. My husband is Sheriff Rex Coffey. We had a report from another candidates poll worker that Dave Williams workers were telling people not to vote for Rex Coffey because he is a member of the KKK.
Our poll worker did not show up so we had nobody there. Now these supporters are backing Republican Candidate Tim Crawford. Now what lie can you tell African American voters that will get them to vote for the other person. Just mention that hate organization KKK, even if it is a lie, and it will be believed.

I sent you an email, Cindy on FB.

I think the honorable thing to do would be for the EACC to pull their endorsement of any candidate that has behaved in such a manner.  It is an integrity issue.

I guess big city dirty underhanded politics has officially arrived here in the County.  Anyone group or persons who alters and tells made up lies about certain indiviuals to acheive a few additional votes cheapens the whole process.  I say throw out the Union Leadership and yank any monetary or whatever endorsements made to people who decided to play dirty.  Also for trying to paint Sheriff Coffey as a racist this lying smuck ought to be run out of the county.

What amazes me is people believe anything from some agenda driven smuck but will not take some effort and check it out before believing some liar with an agenda.

I guess big city dirty underhanded politics has officially arrived here in the County.

It’s been here.  When Al Smith ran for Commissioner President he was branded as a racist because he dared to mention that a lot of the crime was coming down from PG County and his signs mysteriously disappeared or were vandalized or were chopped down. 

Branding Rex as a member of the KKK is laughable and so farfetched I can’t see anyone believing that….and they didn’t!  Rex kicked DW’s butt!

seahorse-  except in Indian Head. Thats the precinct where it happened. And Dave won there.

What happened with the “apple ballots” was indeed very disturbing, however my phone call to Ms. Pedersen on election day inquiring about the incident was even more disheartening.  My outrage over the incident was quickly replaced by sympathy.  Someone must be in dire need of attention, acceptance or perceived power in order to intentionally harm another without a conscience