Oak Hill voters have double whammy: One race doesn't count and they could elect a state rep. not even on the ballot

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- You would think that this being the 21st century, the digital age where people get their news, weather, stocks, pay bills and so forth through the Internet that elections ballots would be crystal clear. While Volusia Supervisor of Elections Ann McFall has been critical of Gov. Scott's voter purge, even appearing on the Jon Stewart Show, her own county's ballot is far from perfect.

Voters in Oak Hill have a double whammy. They'll be voting for a city commission seat that doesn't count because a judge has already declared the winner. There's a big rejection stamp that reads "RACE NOT COUNTED." 

Oak Hill voters in the race for state representative, dist. 27, who vote for Democrat Dennis Mulder will actually be voting for someone who isn't even on the ballot -- that's Phil Giorno, chairman of the Volusia County Democratic Executive Committee. And if he wins, this could be an historic vote, at least locally.

McFall could not be reached for comment and staffers there said they couldn't get into specifics without speaking to her first.

The situation in Oak Hill for the muncipal race is particularly troubling because the only seat on the five-member commission left for voters to choose in the Nov. 6 elections is for mayor. Linda Hyatt, a commissioner and vice mayor in the running for mayor against fellow commissioner Doug Gibson, said, she's embarrased for Oak Hill because there were candidates for two commission seats.

"The whole thing is embarrassing," Hyatt said. "It's not like we didn't try to correct the problems."

Hyatt lays the blame at the door of the supervisor of elections.

"Her office gave bad advice to our clerk," Hyatt said, a claim McFall has denied

"That's a damn lie," McFall told Headline Surfer last month after Lyn Seward, a candidate for the seat 4 race went to court. Oak Hill City Clerk told Seward she could return after qualifying had ended based on the advice she was given by a member of McFall's staff, Hyatt insisted.

Hyatt was in the clerk's office on the final day of qualifying assisting Seward with her application.