Delbert Hosemann puts one Rebel on the Ballot, and kicks another one off

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has sided with Democrat Jim Hood on the Election Commission to remove Todd Wade from the ballot for Senate District 9 in a 2-1 vote with Phil Bryant voting that he believed Wade to be qualified. Wade is a Republican as is Bryant and Hosemann. Word is that Hosemann brought up the issue outside of the statutory number of days allowed for such a challenge, and did so despite no formal challenge from Wade’s Democrat opponent Gray Tollison.

Wade played football at Ole Miss and now lives in Oxford. More to come on this as details become available.

One funny irony is that Hosemann allowed that one Rebel be allowed to stay on the ballot. Initiative Measure 37 was allowed to move forward. The Initiative allows for a petition for a ballot initiative to maintain Colonel Reb as the mascot at Ole Miss. Initiative Measure # 37: www.colonelrebpac.com/Initiative37.php

Hosemann certified Wade for the primary earlier this year.

One has to wonder why Hosemann would bend the constitution by bringing this up outside the statutory time limit to kick a fellow Republican off the ballot, when last year he was touting the constitution and the rule of law in punting redistricting to 2012.

No word yet on whether Wade will file suit.

#Todd #Wade #Mississippi #Delbert #Hosemann #Secretary #of #State #Rule #of #Law #Colonel #Reb #Ole #Miss #Oxford #SD9 #Gray #Tollison #Phil #Bryant #Jim #Hood #Republicans #Democrats

Public meeting on Northeast Mississippi cemeteries scheduled

| The Republic: www.therepublic.com/view/story/046084f20965467ba88…Order

CORINTH, Miss. — Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and his staff will answer questions about the status of two northeast Mississippi cemeteries at a public meeting Tuesday night in Corinth.

The public meeting is 6 p.m. at the Alcorn County Courthouse in Corinth.

In August, Hosemann’s office ordered Forrest Memorial Park of Corinth and Oaklawn Memorial Park of Booneville to stop selling "pre-need" goods and services. Hosemann said THE two cemeteries had more than $100,000 missing from perpetual care trust accounts. Both cemeteries are owned by Wayne Hight of Corinth.

#Mississippi #Secretary #of #State #Delbert #Hosemann #Corinth #Alcorn #County

Sports agents on notice in Miss.

| The Clarion-Ledger | www.clarionledger.com: www.clarionledger.com/article/20110905/NEWS/109050…Miss-

Strengthening a Mississippi law is helping to ensure athletes are protected from unscrupulous agents, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said.

"Mississippi’s new law will provide greater accountability to sports agents who wish to recruit our student athletes and will bring more responsibility to the recruitment process," he said. "Our goal is to protect not only the eligibility, but also the future of our student athletes."

This past session, state lawmakers toughened requirements of the Uniform Athletes Agents Act, which the secretary of state’s office enforces.

Hosemann said he became interested in reforming the system after NFL running back Reggie Bush had to return the Heisman Trophy he earned while playing for the University of Southern California.

Hosemann talked with officials from the NCAA, universities and colleges, professional sports leagues and sports agents – conversations aimed at making it difficult for unscrupulous agents to operate.

"If Mississippi ever wins a Heisman trophy, we want to keep it," Hosemann said.

Brackey Brett, Mississippi State University’s associate athletic director for compliance, praised the new law. "Secretary of State Hosemann and the Mississippi Legislature have really put some teeth in this act," he said. "That’s the encouraging part for us."

With the success of the Southeastern Conference in general and MSU specifically come "issues you have to manage, dealing with agents and those acting on their behalf," he said. "We live in that part of the nation where the culture of college football is extremely strong compared to other parts of the nation."

One problem has been that of "runners," who act on behalf of agents, he said. "A lot of these runners are students on our campuses."

Athletic officials eventually figure out who they are, "but there’s not a way to know up front," he said.

Under the new law, "compensation" to an athlete has been broadened to include "anything of value."

That means if a runner gives something of value to a student athlete, he or she becomes an "agent" under the law and could face civil or criminal penalties.

#MIssissippi #athletics #agents #Delbert #Hosemann #Secretary #of #State #Heisman #Trophy #MSU #education #Higher #Learning #IHL

State orders ‘Angel’ charity to tidy its finances

NEMS360.com – : www.nems360.com/view/full_story/15224028/article-S…olumn

TUPELO – Touched By An Angel Ministries Inc. of Tupelo has been given a few months to straighten up its finances or feel the wrath of the agency which registers and regulates charities.

It’s also on the hook to the Internal Revenue Service for $21,424 in back taxes.

The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office recently investigated the charity, which has operated camps and therapeutic horse riding for disabled people, chiefly children.

Founded in 1996 by Louis Aldridge, the charity’s registration expired Aug. 30, 2010.

Its business charter remains in good standing, although that may change if changes aren’t made.

At issue are its spending and business practices, loans and false information the secretary of state’s office said was filed.

The agency’s six-page order forces resolution of at least five problem areas.

TBAAM is run by state Rep. Brian Aldridge of Tupelo, who is Louis Aldridge’s son.

On July 27, Brian Aldridge signed a consent order as executive director, promising to resolve the enumerated problems.

#Mississippi #charities #Secretary #of #State #Delbert #Hosemann #taxes #Brian #Aldridge #Louis #Aldridge

List of counties with high number of Absentee Ballots Cast

The Winston County Journal – Winston among counties with high absentee ballot numbers: www.winstoncountyjournal.com/view/full_story/15218…llets

Initial inquiries showing a high number of absentee ballots cast in certain counties across the State in the 2011 Primary Election have caused concern for the Secretary of State’s Office.
“Absentee balloting appears to be increasing in this State,” says Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann.”The Mississippi Legislature has tasked the Secretary of State with reporting on elections, and information on absentee ballots will be a part of that report.”

In the 2008 Presidential Election, the average percentage of absentee ballots cast, as reported by the counties to the Statewide Election Management System, was 2 percent. In the 2011 Primary Election, the average was 6 percent.

Below is a list of twenty (20) counties whose percentage of absentee ballots cast was greater than 10 percent in the 2011 Primary Election.

Absentee balloting has been promoted around the state for those who cannot make it to the polls to vote.

Absentee balloting was expected to play a role in the primary runoff held Tuesday, Aug. 23.

County Overall Voter Turn Out Number of Absentee Ballots Cast Percentage of Absentee Ballots Cast

Quitman 3580 1040 29%

Claiborne 3,724 663 18%

Grenada 6316 1127 18%

Issaquena 658 99 15%

Noxubee 3,610 530 15%

Greene 4944 680 14%

Sharkey 2014 291 14%

Humphreys 3410 460 13%

Carroll 4,562 562 12%

Clay 7,089 848 12%

Holmes 6035 723 12%

LeFlore 5394 655 12%

Tallahatchie 5562 644 12%

Benton 3,793 424 11%

Jefferson 2972 334 11%

Alcorn 10,698 1,034 10%

Franklin 3403 348 10%

Montgomery 3914 389 10%

Walthall 5602 625 10%

Winston 7400 757 10%

#Mississippi #Absentee #Ballots #Secretary #of #State #Delbert #Hosemann #Quitman #Claiborne #Grenada #Issaquena #Noxubee #Greene #Sharkey #Humphreys #Carroll #Clay #Holmes #Leflore #Tallahatchie #Benton #Jefferson #Alcorn #Franklin #Montgomery #Walthall #Winston

Natchez site of ballot initiative hearings today at 500

Hearing on ballot initiatives coming | The Natchez Democrat: www.natchezdemocrat.com/2011/08/23/hearing-on-ball…oming

Natchez has been pegged as one of nine locations in which the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office will host a public hearing on three issues — eminent domain, voter identification and definition of personhood — that will appear on the November ballot.

A hearing at 5 p.m. Thursday at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in the Nelson Multipurpose Room will allow residents a chance to speak out on the issues.

One initiative would require voter ID at the polls in the state, another would prohibit state and local government from taking private property by eminent domain, and the last measure proposes to define life at”the moment of fertilization” in the state constitution.

#Mississippi #Secretary #of #State #Delbert #Hosemann #Natchez #Southwest #Mississippi #Ballot #Initiatives #Voter #ID #Personhood #Amendment #Eminent #Domain #public #hearings

Diane Hawks moving into Chief of Staff position for Hosemann

Desoto Times Tribune > News > Hawks tapped by Hosemann: www.desototimes.com/articles/2011/08/23/news/doc4e…4.txt

HERNANDO — Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has tapped Diane Hawks, former Chief of Staff to Congressman Alan Nunnelee and former White House Deputy Director of Management, to serve as Chief of Staff to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office.
“In addition to her federal background, Ms. Hawks has an extensive background serving the State of Mississippi,” Hosemann said in making the announcement.
“No doubt her wealth of knowledge and experience, coupled with her dedication to public service, will benefit not only our Agency but our State,” Hosemann said.
“I have long admired Secretary Hosemann, and I know firsthand what a dedicated public servant he is,” Hawks said.”I feel honored to be joining his team and look forward to serving the people of the state of Mississippi in this new capacity.”

A Desoto County native, Hawks has served both her community and state through various professional and civic organizations, which include, among other positions in academia and both the state and the federal government: director of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, director of the Mississippi State University Research and Technology and several awards including the Mississippi’s Governor’s Commission on Women.

#Mississippi #Secretary #of #State #Delbert #Hosemann #Diane #Hawks #State #Government

MIM Analysis-Hosemann Concerned With High Number of Absentee Ballots

« Majority In Mississippi: majorityinms.com/2011/08/19/hosemann-concerned-wit…llots

Delbert Hosemann issued a press release yesterday saying that his office is concerned with the high number of absentee ballots in certain counties across the state. Nearly one in four counties showed absentee ballot rates of 10 percent or higher.

In the 2008 presidential election, two percent of ballots were cast via absentee voting. It was six percent on August 2.

Leading the pack, by a large margin, was Quitman county where 29 percent, or 1,040 of 3,580 votes, were cast with absentee ballots. Ranging from 18-10 percent were: Claiborne, Grenada, Issaquena, Noxubee, Greene, Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll, Clay, Holmes, Leflore, Tallahatchie, Benton, Jefferson, Alcorn, Franklin, Montgomery, Walthall, and Winston.

#Mississippi #MIM #Delbert #Hosemann #elections #fraud #voting #Secretary #of #State #Quitman #Claiborne #Grenada #Issaquena #Noxubee #Green #Sharkey #Humphreys #Carroll #Clay #Holmes #Leflore #Tallahatchie #Benton #Jefferson #Alcorn #Franklin #Montgomery #Walthall #Winston