Dr. John Witcher, Mississippi gubernatorial candidate, is standing up to unfair treatment that has denied him the right to use the name "Dr. John" on ballots without any notification from election officials.
Dr. Witcher registered at the Mississippi GOP using his full name, "Dr. John Witcher," and the party approved his registration. He then registered with the Secretary of State's office, which also approved and posted him on the official election website as "Dr. John Witcher." Campaign logos and communication materials were developed using this name, including Dr. Witcher's tagline: "Your Prescription for Freedom." When the sample ballots were released, the ballot was printed without “Dr.” – a change made without notice to the candidate or campaign.
Dr. Witcher said, "The primary election on August 8th should be decided by the voters, not by election officials who are preventing me from using the name I am known by. For more than twenty years, I dedicated my medical career to helping Mississippians thrive. Now, I am proudly carrying that same mission into public service. Mississippians know me as 'Dr. John,' and they're going to be looking for me on the ballot. It's a shame that a decision like this has been made without notification or explanation."
Conflicting stories have been told about the matter, and who made the decision to change the ballot without consulting the candidate or campaign. Meanwhile, a candidate for another office has been allowed to use the "Doc" nickname, creating confusion for voters. The public must be notified that “Dr. John” was removed and to look for John Witcher to vote for the doctor.
