To Paula on Independence Day

Greetings Paula –

On June 10th, three days after our most recent election, you sent me these words:

“We likely won’t have the write-in name information available for a few days.

I will send you the info once we have it available.”

As I type this, it is the Fourth of July – a day with some significance to our republic, as well as 27 days past the election, and 24 days past your commitment to send “the info once we have it available.” 

I understand the word “few” to mean not many, but more than  one.  We have moved into a time frame where you have taken many days and not yet sent me the information as you committed to do.  I assume that you are an honest official and do not yet have the count of write-in votes available . . . this charitable view carries with it the implication that the count is yet incomplete, for if it had been completed it would be available.

Because of the power difference between your position as the county election administrator and myself as a lone citizen, I see no alternative but to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Act (https://www.foia.gov/how-to.html) :

Please send me the names and numbers of all write-in votes on Lincoln County ballots, by party and position, as well as the date those write-in votes were counted,  and the name or names of anyone who has filed as a write-in candidate, from the recent primary election last June, at your earliest opportunity.

Sending the data in electronic format is acceptable to me.                                                                                                                                      

Michael McCurry