Opinion ID: 864344
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sherron Sutton and Dwight A. Guthrie

Text: ¶33. In a somewhat disjointed argument on appeal, Rush also argues that only 21, not 23, unopened and uncounted affidavit ballot votes are actually in dispute. The two affidavit ballot voters addressed are: Dwight A. (Anthony) Guthrie Sherron Sutton Ivy conceded in both her answer to Rush's complaint and in her motion to dismiss and/or for summary judgment that the two affidavit votes cast by Dwight A. Guthrie and Sherron Sutton were legal votes and must be counted.9 The record does not reflect that the trial court factored in these affidavit ballot votes cast 9 The Belzoni Election Commission determined that Sherron Sutton submitted a false application. However, the record contains no information to support that the application was false. 15 by Dwight A. Guthrie and Sherron Sutton into its final judgment. The record also does not reflect that Rush ever requested the trial court to clarify its position on these two affidavit ballots cast by Dwight A. Guthrie and Sherron Sutton. ¶34. In contrast, Ivy in her brief states that Rush in his brief erroneously continues to refer [to the] 21 unopened and uncounted affidavit ballots. Furthermore, in his complaint, Rush stated the reason that Sherron Sutton was rejected was because she filed a false application. As to Dwight A. Guthrie, the city voter roll lists him as a registered voter residing at 305 Pecan Street, Belzoni, Mississippi, however, the ward that he resides in is cut off of the voter roll printout contained in the record. Therefore, we cannot be sure that Dwight A. Guthrie was registered to vote in Ward 3.10 ¶35. Based on the lack of information contained in the city voter roll, the discrepancies by the parties and the fact that the trial court did not address Sherron Sutton and Dwight A. Guthrie in its final judgment, we do not find sufficient basis to open and count these two affidavit ballot votes. Furthermore, neither Sherron Sutton nor Dwight A. Guthrie listed a current address on their affidavit ballot votes. Again, we are left with blatant speculation as to why that information was incomplete. Therefore, we find that affidavit ballot votes cast by Sherron Sutton and Dwight A. Guthrie should remain unopened and uncounted.