Alderman carried off rival’s signs, police say

LITTLE ROCK — An alderman from Beebe took down an opponent’s campaign signs in the predawn darkness Tuesday, hiding them under his coat, police say.

Authorities arrested Beebe Alderman Leslie Cossey about 4 a.m. for taking campaign signs that supported one of his two opponents, said Cpl. Steve Hernandez of the White County sheriff’s office.

“We charged him with theft of property,” Hernandez said about Cossey.

“He admitted to it. He had the signs still on him, inside of his coat.”

An officer took Cossey to the Beebe Police Department, where he received a citation for a misdemeanor theft charge. He posted a $1,000 bond, and police released him, Hernandez said.

The wife of alderman candidate Jonathan Gordon was checking on her hus-band’s signs after there had been problems with missing signs earlier Monday night, police said.

She saw Cossey near the intersection of Kamack and Campbell drives in Beebe, where Gordon signs had been placed, Hernandez said.

Rene Gordon approached Cossey, saw signs hanging out of his coat and called the Beebe Police Department, Hernandez said.

Once the Police Department realized that the case involved a Beebe alderman, the agency called in the White County sheriff’s office, which made the arrest.

A call to the phone number that Cossey gave as a contact number to White County election officials was not answered Tuesday.

Cossey has a Dec. 9 court appearance in Beebe District Court.

Besides Gordon and Cossey, James Rainbolt was a candidate for the Ward 3, Position 2 alderman’s post. Election results were unavailable late Tuesday.

In Election Day problems elsewhere in the state, Sebastian County election officials had released few results by 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Computer problems stalled vote counting for more than two hours, Election Board Director Jerry Huff said.

He would not comment on what the issue was, but he said at about 9:30 it appeared the problem was fixed.

Sandra McGrew, public affairs coordinator for the secretary of state’s office, also was unaware of anything that kept any significant number of people from voting.

“In every election cycle there are going to be minor procedural issues but, overall, it has been a very smooth day,” McGrew said.

Information for this article was contributed by Dave Hughes of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.