Opinion ID: 770321
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Arnissa1 Edwards

Text: 58 Arnissa Edwards is a resident of Crawfordsville. She lived in the white section. Her name was listed in the City register. When she came into the polling place, Ms. Edwards signed the register and said she had brought Latesa Calloway 2 to assist her in voting. Ms. Edwards said she needed help because she did not know how to use the voting machine, and that she had been allowed assistance with the machine in previous elections. Mr. Rogers, the poll watcher, challenged Ms. Edwards's vote because of [i]mproper voting procedures. She did not state reason for help with her vote. Tr. 669. Ms. Calloway then asked whether Ms. Edwards could vote by paper ballot, and this is what occurred. 59 We find this plaintiff's situation somewhat difficult. On the one hand, it seems clear that she was not in fact entitled to assistance in voting. She conceded at trial that she had no disability. Tr. 508. Mr. Rogers's statement that [s]he did not state reason for help with her vote is correct, if reason is understood as good reason. On the other hand, the fact that Ms. Edwards was not entitled to have someone help her vote did not require that the vote itself be challenged. The logical outcome would have been to allow her to vote on the machine, but without assistance. Instead, she was required to vote by paper ballot. This procedure seems to have been suggested by Ms. Calloway herself, however. There is no substantial evidence about the conduct of the defendants Freeman, Howe, and Carlson during this incident. Ms. Edwards testified that on several occasions Ms. Freeman had asked her whether she was planning to sell her house, and this is evidence of racial animus if believed. Although what happened to Ms. Edwards makes us somewhat uneasy, we have no definite and firm conviction that the District Court's finding adverse to her claim was clearly erroneous. According, the finding will be affirmed.