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The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Wednesday, October 31,2018 7A
Rejection of mail-in ballots raises alarm ahead of election
BY CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY
Associated Press
ATLANTA — Drawing on her
years of military experience, Mau
reen Heard was careful to follow
all the rules when she filled out an
absentee ballot in 2016.
She read the instructions thor
oughly, signed where she was
supposed to, put the ballot in its
envelope and dropped it off at her
county elections office in New
Hampshire. She then left town so
she could return to a temporary
federal work assignment in Wash
ington, D.C.
“I have learned over the years,
many years in the military of filling
out forms, how to fill out forms —
and I was very intimidated by the
process,” said Heard, who served in
the Air Force and was a lieutenant
in the U.S. Coast Guard. “I was like,
‘Oh my gosh, I have to make sure I
get it absolutely right.’ And then it
didn’t count.”
Heard, 57, discovered last year
that she was among roughly 319,000
voters across the country whose
absentee ballots were rejected dur
ing the last presidential election.
The reasons varied, ranging from
missed deadlines to failure to sign
the return envelope.
Heard’s ballot was tossed out
because her signature did not
match the one on file at her local
election office.
More people than ever are return
ing their ballots by mail or dropping
them off at a local election location
rather than voting in a booth on
Election Day. Those developments
make it easier to cast ballots and are
designed to boost turnout.
The trend also is raising con
cerns about whether voters can be
assured their ballots will count or be
notified in time if there is a problem.
Voting rights activists want to ensure
that voters are given a reasonable
chance to fix any problems.
Earlier this month, the ACLU and
other groups filed lawsuits in Geor
gia after an Atlanta-area county
reported a comparatively high rate
of rejected absentee ballots dur
ing the start of early voting. Those
actions followed similar lawsuits in
New Hampshire and California.
“It’s hard to see what is missing,”
said Kim Alexander, president of
the California Voter Foundation,
which advocated for changes to Cal
ifornia law. “People are all focused
on what is the vote count. They are
not focused on what ballots weren’t
counted.”
Nearly one of every four ballots
cast in 2016 came through the mail
or was handed in at a drop-off loca
tion, according to the U.S. Election
Assistance Commission. The com
mission’s data show that 99 percent
of completed absentee and mailed
ballots are eventually counted.
Election officials use signature
matching to verify a person’s iden
tity, but advocates say many election
offices lack training and standards.
Matching signatures is particularly
fraught because a person’s hand
writing can change over time and
be affected by age or disability.
In August, a federal judge ruled
that New Hampshire’s signature
matching process was “fundamen
tally flawed” because voters are not
given notice if it’s the reason a ballot
was rejected. She also said the elec
tion office workers inspecting the
signatures did not receive training
in handwriting analysis or signature
comparisons.
OBITUARIES
Cheryl Lynn Anderson Bailey
Jan. 6, 1944-Oct. 27, 2018
Cheryl “Cherie” Lynn Anderson Bailey,
74, passed away peacefully at Lanier Village
Estates, reflections mem
ory unit, and went to be
with our Lord Christ Jesus
on Oct. 27, 2018. She was a
member of Corinth Baptist
Church. She was born Jan.
6, 1944, in Atlanta, Ga., to
James Morgan Anderson
Jr. and Grace Evelyn Wat
son Anderson. Cheryl grew
up in Garden Hills, Buckhead and Sandy
Springs, graduating from Sandy Springs HS.
Cheryl attended Emory University for three
years. She married James “Jim” Bailey Jr.
Dec. 29,1964.
Cheryl moved with her husband Jim 17
times while he was in the Marine Corps.
During that time she gave birth to their
daughter, Lisa Anne Bailey Toler, in 1967
and their son, James R. Bailey III, in 1969.
While her husband was stationed in Japan
she and her helpers went back to Emory
and she graduated with a bachelor’s degree
in psychology. After her husband returned
home she attended Georgia State University
and graduated with a master’s in education
and started her career as a school psycholo
gist. Her husband’s career took them to eight
more cities and along the way she earned
a certificate of programing from Depaul
University and a specialist in education at
Georgia State University. She worked as a
programmer in Chicago and a school psy
chologist in Nashville, Chicago and Canton.
After retiring and moving to Big Canoe she
volunteered as a court appointed special
advocate (CASA) and a mentor for children.
Her final move to Lanier Village Estates in
Gainesville, Ga., enabled her to be a tutor at
Lanier Elementary School, start a new book
club, play bridge and canasta and partici
pate in events for Challenge Child. She had
a passion for helping children.
She is survived by her husband, James R.
Bailey Jr.; daughter, Lisa Anne Bailey Toler
(John); son, James R. Bailey III; grandchil
dren, Fran Toler, Joey Toler; brother, James
Morgan Anderson III (Cathy); nephew,
John Anderson (Lydie); niece, Caroline
Anderson; uncle, Bill Rary; cousins, Judy
Rary LaGrone, Susan Rary Ruiz, Bill Rary,
Shelia Hamilton Downing, Carol Hamilton
Crawford.
A memorial service will be held Saturday,
Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. at Lanier Village Estates
with Dr. Chris Swan officiating. A recep
tion will follow the life celebration. In lieu
of flowers make donations to http://www.
halldawsonCASA.org or http://www.alz.org/
georgia.
Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel,
989 Riverside Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501.
770-297-6200.
Sign the online guest book at
gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Oct. 31,2018
Benjamin “Benny” Franklin Morris
May 8, 1943-Oct. 30, 2018
Benjamin “Benny” Franklin Morris, 75, of
Gillsville, Ga., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 30,
2018, at his residence.
Born on May 8,1943, in Gillsville, Ga., he
was the son of the late Dillard and Annie Lee
Ferguson Morris. Mr. Morris was a mem
ber of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, a self-
employed welder and was preceded in death
by a brother, the Rev. JW Morris, and sisters,
Vertie Mae Masters and Annie Reed Sims.
Survivors include his wife, Mittie Brown
Morris of the residence; sons and daughters-
in-law, Alan and Paula Morris, Lula, Gary
and Trade Morris, Gillsville; brother, James
Morris, Nicholson; brother-in-law, John
Sims, Gillsville; grandchildren, Erin Morris,
Dawson Morris and Cooper Morris.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, at Mt. Carmel Bap
tist Church with the Rev. James Duncan,
the Rev. Ralph O. Smith and the Rev. Chad
Holcomb officiating. The body will lie in
state 1:30 p.m. until time of the service at
the church. Burial will follow in the church
cemetery. The family will receive friends
4-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Flowers are accepted or donations may
be made to the American Heart Association,
1353 Jennings Mill Road, Bogart, GA 30662.
Ivie Funeral Home, Commerce
Sign the online guest book at
gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Oct. 31,2018
DiAnn Perry
March 25, 1937-Oct. 29, 2018
Ms. DiAnn Perry, 81, of Gainesville passed
away on Oct. 29,2018.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m.
on Nov. 3, 2018, at Memorial Park North
Riverside Chapel. The Rev. Delma Simmons
will be officiating.
DiAnn was born on March 25, 1937, in
Lansing, Mich., to the late Floyd Archer
Peek and the late Yeta Young Peek. DiAnn
retired from the Gainesville Post Office
after 30 years of dedicated service and was
a member of Maranatha Baptist Church in
Oakwood.
Along with her parents, she was preceded
in death by her brother Royce Peek and her
baby brother.
DiAnn is survived by her children Debbie
and Lon Flemming, Skye and Kristi Perry,
and Dawn and Alan Cooper; grandchildren
Eric, Emily, Leigh, Davis, Austin and Nata
lie; six great-grandchildren; four siblings;
and a number of other family members.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that
donations be made to Maranatha Christian
Academy, 5135 McEver Road, Oakwood, GA
30566.
Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel,
989 Riverside Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501.
770-297-6200.
Sign the online guest book at
gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Oct. 31,2018
DEATH NOTICES
Georgia
Ruth Bailey
June 17, 1941-Oct. 29, 2018
Georgia Ruth (Pratt) Bailey, 77, of Flow
ery Branch died Monday. No service is
planned. Flanigan Funeral Home and Cre
matory, Buford.
Betty Jean Brooks
Died Oct. 30, 2018
Betty Jean Brooks, 88, of Maysville died
Tuesday. Funeral service, 11 a.m. Thurs
day, Nov. 1, Maysville Baptist Church. Little-
Ward Funeral Home, Commerce.
Margaret R. Brown
Died Oct. 19, 2018
Margaret “Peggy” R. Brown, 74, of Buford
died Oct. 19. Funeral Mass, 11 a.m. Friday,
Nov. 2, Prince of Peace Catholic Church.
Memorial Park South Funeral Home, Flow
ery Branch.
INTRODUCING
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Little & Davenport
Funeral Home
To inquire about pricing packages available to
memorialize a pet in print, please contact Megan Lewis
at 770-535-6371 or mlewis@gainesvilletimes.com
Pets at Peace will appear in The Times
the last Sunday of each month.
Dustin Mark Dyer
Jan. 2, 1989-Oct. 29, 2018
Dustin Mark Dyer, 29, of Cleveland died
Monday. Funeral service, 2 p.m. Saturday,
Nov. 3, Old Nacoochee Baptist Church Cem
etery. Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland.
Nellie Collins Edge
Died Oct. 29, 2018
Nellie Collins Edge, 86, of Gainesville died
Monday. No service will be held. Memorial
Park South Funeral Home, Flowery Branch.
Larry Joe Faulkner
May 11, 1945-Oct. 23, 2018
Larry Joe “Red” Faulkner, 73, of Gaines
ville died Oct. 23. Memorial service, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, First Congregational
Holiness Church of Gainesville. Whitfield
Funeral Home, South Chapel, Baldwin.
Randall Foster
Sept. 15, 1950-Oct. 29, 2018
Randall Foster, 68, of Alto died Monday.
Memorial visitation service, 5-9 p.m. Thurs
day, Nov. 1, funeral home. Whitfield Funeral
Home, South Chapel, Baldwin.
Earl Ford
Gowder Jr.
Died Oct. 29, 2018
Earl Ford Gowder Jr., 71, of Winder died
Monday. Visitation, 1-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov.
3, funeral home chapel. Lawson Funeral
Home, Hoschton.
Richard Harrison
Died Oct. 29, 2018
Richard Harrison, 78, of Hoschton died
Monday. Memorial Park South Funeral
Home, Flowery Branch.
M.L Head
Died Oct. 11,2018
M.L. “John” Head, 86, of Flowery Branch
died Oct. 11. Visitation, 2-4 p.m. Saturday,
Nov. 3, funeral home. Memorial Park South
Funeral Home, Flowery Branch.
Myron Bernard Hubers
Died Oct. 30, 2018
Myron “Ron” Bernard Hubers, 68, of Bra-
selton died Tuesday. Memorial service, 10
a.m. Friday, Nov. 2,12Stone Church, Brasel-
ton. Lawson Funeral Home, Hoschton.
Eris McGee Phillips
May 9, 1932-Oct. 30, 2018
Eris McGee Phillips, 86, of Hartwell died
Tuesday. Funeral service, 11 a.m. Thurs
day, Nov. 1, Duncan Creek Congregational
Church. Flanigan Funeral Home and Crema
tory, Buford.
Jimmie Larry Phillips
Died Oct. 28, 2018
Jimmie Larry Phillips, 76, of Buford died
Sunday. Memorial service, 4 p.m. Saturday,
Nov. 3, Suwanee Kingdom Hall. Flanigan
Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford.
William Chase Spires
Died Oct. 26, 2018
William Chase Spires, 33, of Flowery
Branch died Oct. 26. Funeral service, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, funeral home. Hamilton
Mill Memorial Chapel, Buford.
Obituary information
Death notices are printed free as a public
service by The Times.
More information can be provided in
paid obituaries. The rate is $50 per 100
words (or any part thereof). There is an
additional mandatory $40 fee for online
services, which includes a guest book
that allows family and friends to post
condolences.
Deadline for publication is 6:30 p.m.
seven days a week. Death notices and
obituaries are accepted only from funeral
homes. They should be emailed to obits@
gainesvilletimes.com. All submissions
will appear in The Times and online at
gainesvilletimes.com.
For additional information, please call
770-718-3435 or 800-395-5005, extension
3435, between 3 and 6 p.m. weekdays.
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