CROOKED ELECTIONS IN COKE COUNTY TX Contributed by Jo Collier 24 February 2003 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************************** All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** Editorial from The Robert Lee Observer 1932 Coke County has 1397 paid up Poll Tax Receipts for the year 1932. We always have considered we have between 400 and 500 overs and unders each year, and we have. In the July primary Sterling polled 294 votes, Hunter 498, and Mrs. Ferguson 610, a total of 1402 votes; five voters more than the Poll Tax Receipts call for. In the August primary Sterling polled 698 votes and Mrs. Ferguson 802, a total of 1,500, just 103 more than the 1897 paid voters. In talking with Mr. Harmon, County Tax Assessor, about the overs and unders, he told us he has a list of 892 "overs" in Coke County and said he was satisfied he could dig up enough more not counted to make it 400, not mentioning the"unders" of which there are at the least calculation away above 100. It is very safe to say that Coke County has way over 500 overs and unders - qualified voters and she could have cast around 1900 legal votes in the July and August primaries, but 1,500 is the most she cast. Yet, in his charges of illegal voting in Texas, our hard loosing diehard governor names Coke County among the 128 he alleges carried on crooked elections or at least allowed illegal voting. If all the counties in Texas are as free from illegal voting as Coke County is, (and we are satisfied they are) Ross Sterling is the biggest fool in Texas. We have as good men and women as Texas ever produced holding elec- tions in Coke County and we openly and unhesitatingly defy the governor of this state or any other person, to cast any reflections upon their honesty and integrity as citizens. People in Coke County, Ross, just walked up to the polls and voted legally for "Ma" and there were more of them that wanted Ma and Jim, than there were for you, and they are not all snuff dippers by a long shot. As soon as you and Tom Love and Little Dan get cured of that bad case of "MaBeatUs" you've got, you will get all right, and maybeso live over it. Permission was granted by Coke County Observer for publication in the Coke County TXGenWeb Archives.