In a letter posted this morning to his website, District 2 city council candidate Billy MacLeod urged city and county officials to move the polling location for one of the district's highest-voting precincts and questioned the appointment of its election judge by the office of his opponent -- incumbent Pauline Medrano.
The polling location for 3007 is Medrano Elementary School, the Election Judge for Medrano Elementary School is Ricardo Medrano, and the Precinct Chairman for 3007 is also Ricardo Medrano. I find it highly suspect that when Mr. Medrano did finally recues himself from his election judge position, he did so in favor of a Mr. Armando Cruise, who was then recommended by Councilwoman Pauline Medrano's office and appointed to the position. All this smacks of nepotism and lends itself to the possibility of accusations of impropriety. Today I am asking that you take immediate action to eliminate the shadow of impropriety that this situation creates.
We were told this morning that City Secretary Deborah Watkins went into a meeting about this very issue and was going to return our call; there's still no word hours later. And newly installed Dallas County Elections Administrator Toni Pippens-Poole says she has been informed by the city that it doesn't plan to move the polling location, citing approval from the Department of Justice as a significant obstacle.
MacLeod admits his complaint about Ricardo Medrano as precinct chair isn't up to the city or county -- it's a party-elected position -- but he says it sends the wrong message.
"It's just the appearance," he tells Unfair Park. "It just looks like shit."
Two messages have been left at Pauline Medrano's office seeking comment.
