GATES: Independent body should be final arbiter in election challenges

Jimmie Gates: Independent body should decide contested results

It would be prudent for lawmakers to change this process for any future legislative races to ensure a truly independent process is used to determine the will of voters in a tie or contested election outcome.

I came away last week — not saying anyone did anything wrong — with concerns about the process. A vote is sacred; people died for the right to vote.

It seems commonsense to me to allow an independent person or body to be the final arbiter in such election challenges to ensure a person’s vote is protected. Our democracy depends on it.

ClarionLedger
1/24/16