Mayoral Candidate Refiles Election Complaint

By Rachel Molenda CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Mayoral primary candidate Janet "JT" Thompson has served a notice of election contest to the city of Charleston and Kanawha County, alleging the two entities violated the state's elections and voting laws.Thompson lost to Paul Monroe in the city's Democratic primary race.In her complaint, Thompson alleges the city did not properly reconcile its ballots at each precinct by comparing "m-100 memory counters" numbers and the "650 counter at the clerk's office."Thompson also suggested there are "questions as to the integrity of the ballots voted," because ballots were placed in boxes with slits.The complaint also alleges gerrymandering; that some polling places were outside of their precincts, causing voter hardship; and that voters weren't notified quickly enough of changes to their ward boundaries, causing confusion.Last year, City Council approved a redistricting measure that reduced the number of wards in Charleston from 21 to 20.