By Ray King
In a court filing Tuesday, Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester is seeking to be dismissed from a lawsuit alleging that Jefferson County Sheriff’s candidate Lafayette Woods Jr., is not eligible to be on the March primary ballot.
On Dec.8, Mark Cannon, who is also a candidate for sheriff filed paperwork contending that Woods is ineligible to serve because of a prior misdemeanor conviction for theft and sought to have his name removed from the ballot or restrain from votes for Woods being counted.
Jester was named in the lawsuit, as was the Jefferson County Election Commission and County Clerk Shawandra Taggart.
In the motion to dismiss Jester, Assistant Attorney General Steven C. Benson said Jester is not involved in placing the names of candidates on the ballot for nominations for county offices like sheriff. That is the responsibility of the state and county political party committee and the county clerk. The Secretary of State’s Office only becomes involved with United States, State and District elected offices. (i.e. Congress, governor, district judge, etc,) Benson represents Jester and the Secretary of State’s Office.
Benson also said that Cannon’s petition fails to name the office of the state and local political party violates Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure and therefore Cannon’s petition should be dismissed.
The case is being heard by Special Judge Randall Wright because all the judges in Jefferson County recused themselves citing the appearance of a conflict of interest.
