Candidates and election officials spent a week figuring out how to solve a Hamilton County Commission election squabble between Greg Beck and Bernie Miller — only to find out a problem never really existed.
The hassle started with a sign posted near New Covenant Fellowship Church. The church serves as a polling station for about 2,800 registered voters and the sign advertises “Dr. Bernie Miller, Pastor.” Mr. Beck, the District 5 county commissioner running for re-election against Dr. Miller, had a problem with that, officials said.
According to Hamilton County Election Commission acting administrator Charlotte Mullis-Morgan, Mr. Beck asked officials two weeks ago to replace the church as a polling station with the Brainerd Recreation Center. She said the commissioner assumed that District 5 voters would be influenced by seeing Dr. Miller’s name before voting.
For several days, election officials explored the possibility of switching sites without realizing that the polling station serves voters in District 8. Eastgate residents never see Mr. Beck or Dr. Miller on their ballots.
“Maybe he hasn’t checked a map,” Dr. Miller said of his opponent. “I think that should be one of the prerequisites.”