Dear Aunt Mary – Chicanery Within The Alleghany County Electoral Board?

DEAR AUNT MARY,

Is there some bit of chicanery on the part of the Alleghany County Electoral Board? The sample ballot printed in Saturday’s paper shows the Republican candidates listed first on all except Mr. Shuler’s District.

If I remember correctly, we have a Democrat as governor, therefore, should not the Democrat candidates be listed first?

VOTER

DEAR VOTER,

Nope, No chicanery. The folks in that office are very dedicated and do things by the book. They wouldn’t dream of chicanery.

Placement of names on the ballot for the general election is

determined by the state. A drawing is held to determine which party will be listed first.

In the case of independents, independent candidates are listed after the party candidates in alphabetical order.

Thus, if you had some candidates running who have not declared a party, they will be listed alphabetically.

In the case of Mr. Shuler, there is no Republican candidate, so the independent is listed after Mr. Shuler who is a Democrat.

AUNT MARY