Opinion ID: 770321
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Other Claims for Relief

Text: 81 In addition to the individual plaintiffs' claims for damages against pollworkers and Mr. Rogers, the poll watcher, in their individual capacities, plaintiffs also request an award of damages against the three poll workers in their official capacities. We have held that the District Court's findings in favor of the defendant Dixie Carlson are not clearly erroneous, so there is no need to discuss an official-capacity claim with respect to her. Mr. Rogers, the poll watcher, has no official capacity. The official-capacity claims against Ms. Freeman and Mr. Howe are the equivalent of claims against the County (assuming for present purposes as plaintiffs contend, that poll workers are county employees). We believe the District Court properly rejected these claims. The actions of Mr. Howe and Ms. Freeman which we have held to be discriminatory were purely individual actions. There is no evidence that they reflected or were influenced by any policy of Crittenden County. The County cannot be liable in the absence of some custom or prevailing practice that violates the law. Accordingly, the District Court's decision to reject any official-capacity liability on the part of the poll workers will be affirmed. 82 A claim for damages is made against Ruth Trent, the County Clerk, in her official capacity only. She is clearly a county employee. The District Court found that Ms. Trent was not guilty of any intentional discrimination, and this finding is not clearly erroneous. Ms. Trent made diligent efforts, both before and after the election, to ensure that the voter lists were accurate. In doing so, she consulted both white and black voters. There is no substantial evidence of discrimination on her part. 83 Damages are sought against the three members of the County Board of Election Commissioners, Messrs. Dawson, Fairley, and Graham, in their individual and official capacities. We believe the District Court correctly rejected these claims. The Election Commissioners carried out their duties in good faith. Mr. Fairley testified that state law prohibited the Election Commission from counting the challenged votes, given that they would not affect the outcome. This was a mistake of law. In fact, state law gave the Election Commission discretion whether to count these votes or not. This error, though, was simply that. It does not show racial discrimination on Mr. Fairley's part. We do not believe that there is any substantial evidence of any racial discrimination by any of the three members of the County Board of Election Commissioners. Accordingly, the District Court's finding in their favor will be affirmed. 84 Plaintiffs also request certain sorts of equitable relief, mainly having to do with the future conduct of elections in Crittenden County. We do not believe that any such relief is necessary. The County has made, and, we believe, will continue to make, diligent efforts to maintain accurate voter lists and to comply with the law. Individual discriminatory acts on the part of two poll workers at a single election do not, in our view, justify equitable relief. Plaintiffs ask that we disqualify Mr. Howe and Ms. Freeman from acting as poll workers in the future. We decline to do so. We believe an award of damages against them is sufficient relief, and they should not be required to forfeit future eligibility for poll-worker positions.