NAACP members must wait for December election

The Las Vegas chapter of the NAACP is in the same spot it was in before this weekend's Tri-State Conference Convention at Bally's hotel-casino.

The Las Vegas chapter will still hold elections in December, and its current president and officers remain suspended.

Edward Lewis, president of the conference in charge of chapters in Nevada, Utah and Idaho and interim director of the Las Vegas chapter, asked that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Las Vegas chapter members be patient at a town hall meeting Friday.

Lewis told about 50 residents and NAACP members that the branch will continue to organize over the next three months in preparation for the elections. Voting at other NAACP branches will be in November.

Lewis told the sometimes angry group at the three-hour meeting, "We'll have an opportunity to move forward."

Moving forward with a new president and officers will not happen until the December elections. Before that can happen the branch, under Lewis's leadership, will need to elect a nominating committee to weed out candidates.

National Board Member Jeanetta Williams explained to those gathered how the earnings were to be reported by local chapters, and why those earnings had to be reported.

NAACP branches are not considered nonprofit organizations and must submit 50 percent of all funds raised to NAACP headquarters.

"This meeting is a chance to answer questions and address concerns," Williams said. "We are here to build you up, not tear you down."

Other specific questions about the future of the Las Vegas branch, the suspended officers and the funding reports were often answered with Lewis saying that National Field Secretary Mark Clack would answer those questions.

Clack did not attend the meeting.

"It was a little disappointing because there are still questions that were not answered," said NAACP member Louis Overstreet.

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