The Richland County Official Democratic Sample Ballot is a tool that should not be used in any election. This sheet, 48 hours prior to the polls opening up, is unleashed on the black community. It is taken to the black churches' parking lots and placed on the automobiles.

This kind of outlandish political behavior must cease. All it does is divide the party. It is not good to mistreat another human being. The party will not grow when these kind of things are allowed to happen.

As we go into the 21st century the Democratic Party has to come up with a better way of getting black people to vote and stop telling them who to vote for. It makes the party look bad and the black race as well.

The Democratic Party doesn't tell the white race who to vote for. So why does the party tell the black race what to do? That was the reason I filed under the Green Party and the United Citizens Party as well. I'm aware of the political tactics employed by the machinery.

It was not right to make my name small and make Paul Livingston's name in bold capital print for County Council-District 4 on the Democratic Sample Ballot.

A lot of people in the community are talking about just what took place. Of course there are some who don't even know what took place.

Alvin Portee