Write-in candidates are eligible for election in the Democratic primary for District 41 representative, and that has opened the possibility of formalized write-in campaigns for the seat.
Longtime representative and Democratic incumbent Esther Harrison died last week at age 69. She had qualified for re-election in January and was slated to defend her seat against Democratic challenger and Columbus councilman Kabir Karriem in the Aug. 4 primary. No Republicans or independents qualified for the seat, meaning the winner of the Democratic primary will win outright.
State law mandates voters have a write-in option for each race on their ballots, according to secretary of state’s office communication director Pamela Weaver. Yet, in most cases, those votes are not counted.
Since Harrison passed away after the qualifying deadline, Weaver said the law allows write-in votes to count. She said, though, that the state did not impose any deadlines or special restrictions for write-in candidates.
“A voter simply writes in (a candidate’s) name on the ballot,” she said. “And in this case, they will be counted … if an individual candidate is spending or receiving $200 or more for their campaign, they would have to file a financial report to the secretary of state’s office.”
While Weaver said the secretary of state’s office would certify the election results, the Lowndes County Democratic Party would actually vet the write-in candidates — such as determining their age and whether they live in the district — and declare the winner.
Lowndes County Democratic Executive Committee Chairperson Cindy Lawrence said, if a write-in candidate did receive the most votes, her committee would also need to determine whether that candidate is actually a Democrat.
Lawrence added no candidates had approached her about formalizing a write-in campaign, and The Dispatch has not yet confirmed whether any candidates intend to launch such a campaign.
Harrison’s funeral is set for Friday at The Trotter Convention Center. Karriem told The Dispatch on Wednesday that he was not prepared to focus on potential write-in opposition.
“I’m in mourning with the family of the late representative,” he said. “At this particular time, I don’t have any comment as to what other people might do.”
If Karriem wins the District 41 seat in August, he will take office in January. That will force the Columbus City Council to call a special election early next year for a vacant Ward 5 council seat, according to city chief operations officer David Armstrong.
Neither the mayor nor the council, Armstrong said, have the authority to appoint an interim council member.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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