As black registered voters in Shelby County, we must wake up now.

During the past 20 years, we have lost our ability to influence the majority of the elected positions in this county &045; positions like school board, superintendent, sheriff, state legislature, property commissioner and others.

This loss of influence is due partly to the ADC ballots handed out in our communities. The ADC served us well in the past, but as a voter in Shelby County the ADC ballot is too narrow.

Most of the people who influence our lives and the lives of our children are not on the ADC ballot in the primaries. We must vote the first time around and in November.

Please join me June 4 and vote the Republican ballot. One of the most important positions on this ballot is for the Shelby County Board of Education.

On Sunday, June 2, we will ask you to support a school board candidate along with the other positions up for election.

Remember, we can vote for a Republican in June and then in November vote for a Democrat or a Republican. We can no longer vote a straight ticket in this county.

We must vote for the worth, dignity and the respect each candidate has for us, be they Democrat or Republican.

For more information, please call me at 664-8643. Once again, make plans to vote the Republican ballot on June 4. Our vote will make the difference