Editorial: Sumpter blames detractors, paper for election fiasco

Most of Tuesday’s regular one-hour-and-30-minute meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees was spent defending itself from criticisms of the the way the Aug. 4 primary election was conducted.
Trustee Tim Rush, who was pictured with an election tape in his hands in last week’s Independent, had part of the surveillance tape of the incident run in the in the meeting room on the large screen. And, then he had the body cam tape of Sumpter Police Officer Herrick run as he investigated the complaint of Toni Clark.
“Residents need to hear the truth,” Rush said and then gave his version of what happened. Rush said this has traditionally been done at all elections for as long as he can remember. He said taking pictures of the election tape was being done at all the precincts.
He said contrary to what a letter in the paper or the paper reported, he never moved the tabulating machine into the hallway, never touched the machine, and never took the tape away. He said the report was designed to damage his reputation. Election worker Mary Sherwood said the election workers were expecting Rush and were told at their training session that he would be coming.
A recount of this precinct and others has been scheduled by the county and the truth will be determined by outsiders. We hope Sumpter election officials did the right thing and are vindicated.