The state Board of Election Commissioners has been operating without a black member for several years and state officials should fix “this terrible injustice,” the president of the state conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said this week.
State officials replied that diversity is important on state boards, but they stopped short of promising a black appointee.
NAACP Arkansas President Dale Charles of Little Rock said the group received calls last week about voting precincts being moved inArkansas County, started researching county and state election commissions, and discovered all seven of the state board’s members are white.
“It doesn’t look good to have an all white board” to regulate county election commissions when about 15 percent of the state’s population is black, he said in an interview.
“There is no one on that board to even begin dialogue about the issues” about voting rights, Charles said.
In a news release, he called on Gov. Mike Beebe; Secretary of State Mark Martin; House Speaker Robert S. Moore Jr., D-Arkansas City;Senate President Pro Tempore Paul Bookout, D-Jonesboro; state Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb of Benton; and state Democratic Party Chairman Will Bond of Little Rock “to take immediate action to correct this terrible injustice in Arkansas.”
The board is made up of the secretary of state, two members appointed by the governor, and one member each appointed by the House speaker, Senate president pro tempore, state Republican Party chairman, and state Democratic Party chairman.
The last black board member was J.J. Lacy Jr., who served from Jan. 22, 2008-Feb., 15, 2010, after hisappointment by then-Senate President Pro Tempore Jack Critcher, D-Batesville, said board Director Susie Stormes.
In January 2010, then-Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow, appointed Barbara McBryde of North Little Rock, who previously worked for the House, former U.S. Rep. Ray Thornton and the secretary of state’s office, to replace Lacy. McBryde is white.
The board also didn’t have a black member from Oct, 15, 2003-Sept. 28, 2005, and from May 3, 2007-Jan. 22, 2008, based on information provided by Stormes about theboard’s black members over the past two decades.
Beebe, a Democrat, is always interested in finding the most qualified individuals to serve on state boards and will continue to do so, said Beebe spokesman Stacey Hall.
“To our knowledge Mr. Charles has not contacted our office to express his concerns before this press release, nor has he submitted the names of individuals who possess the requisite qualifications based on our understanding of the statute,” she said.
Grant County Election Commissioner C.S. Walker and Clark County Clerk Rhonda Cole are the governor’s appointees on the board.
Martin spokesman Alex Reed said, “ We can see where that can concern [Charles], but unfortunately Secretary Martin does not appoint any commissioners to the board.
“We would be happy to dowhatever we can to resolve the issue for Mr. Charles,” he said, adding that Martin is the board’s chairman as a result of his post as secretary of state. Martin is a Republican.
Moore said nobody has ever brought the issue that Charles raised to his attention.
He said he appointed Susan Inman of Little Rock, a former elections director for the secretary of state’s office and former director of the Pulaski County Election Commission, to the board two years ago and “nobody said anything prior to or after the appointment.”
Moore said he’s always been “sensitive to racial diversity” in appointments that he’s made as House speaker.
Bookout said it’s important to have diverse representation on state boards, and Beebe’s record regarding the diversity of his appointments “speaks for itself.”
Bond said he’s happy to talk with Charles about his appointment of J. Harmon Smith, an attorney from Wynne, to the board in June for a term that runs until June 22, 2016.
He said he appointed Smith because of his knowledge of election law, great service on the Cross County Election Board, and his understanding of rural voting issues.
Webb said Charles has raised a valid concern.
“We respect his request and ask that he submit names to us and all parties who have an appointment so that we may consider when vacancies occur,” he said.
Webb appointed Jefferson County Election Commissioner Stu Soffer of White Hall to the board in July.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 09/28/2012