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Petition may not be verified by Monda
By JERRY WHITTLE
The ECHO has learned a change of procedure has developed in the verification of those names contained on 93 pages of a petition calling for a vote ori the form of government for the City of Bay St. Louis.
BSL Commissioner Lucian Kidd told the ECHO in a Friday interview that he had received an opinion from the State Attorney General’s office concerning the time allotment for verification of
the names on the petition.
Kidd said he wanted an official opinion as to the amount of time allowed the election commission to certify if the names contained in the petition were qualified voters within the county and city. Petitioners had felt the petition would have to be verified within a 10 day period after the document was presented to the city council. Kidd stated a check with the GA’s office revealed a difference in the stated belief by the petitioners. An
assistant in the AG’s office reportedly told Kidd the election commission would have “a reasonable amount of time” in which to check the list. Further, after the screening is completed, the election commission has 10 days to report to those concerned.
Work was started on the petition verification shortly after the document was presented at the Jan. 18th meeting of the council. Kidd could not give an estimate as to how long the work might require, but added he did feel the
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verification would not be completed in time for the council meeting on Monday, Jan. 31st.
In another matter concerning the certification of the names on the petition, Kidd said, when asked, he had returned to the council chambers Thursday and found some people not hired by the election commission attempting to work on the verification. Kidd said he instructed the people they were not to do any work on the list and asked them to leave the room.
On petition success