Open Bible Polling Place Shut Down

Pennington County Auditor Julie Pearson said she decided to shut down the Open Bible polling place late Thursday after the Rev. Les Potts refused to promise an election official that a campaign sign would be removed by Election Day.

Potts, however, said he learned of the dispute Friday from news media. "We've always complied with the law, and we?ve been a voting place for 12 years or more," he said.

But Pearson insisted that county election supervisor Lori Severson spoke with Potts late Thursday afternoon. Pearson said she changed the poll location only after she could not get an assurance that the sign at Open Bible would be removed. Pearson said county policy requires owners of polling places to either ban all signs on that property or allow all signs.

There were no campaign signs at Open Bible on Friday. Potts said the sign in question had been vandalized or damaged by wind and was removed earlier in the week.

But Pearson said election workers saw the sign Thursday when they were delivering voting machines.

Julie Pearson definitely gets the first Robbinsale Radical Human Of The Week Award. I'm so happy she has been able to stand up to these people and proud she has taken the heat with such grace. I hope she runs for Chris Nelson's job--as a Democrat of course!