Three candidates for offices in the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are demanding an investigation of the nominating procedure after being rejected.

        The three — Ernest J. Waits, a retired management consultant who holds an NAACP life membership; Victoria L. Straughn, an HIV intervention specialist; and Douglas Springs, a senior inspector for the Cincinnati Health Department — said they submitted letters to the chapter expressing an interest in running for president but were never interviewed.

        Ms. Straughn said she has asked Kweisi Mfume, president of the Baltimore-based organization, to stop the Nov. 14 election and investigate what she said is a violation of federal, state and local laws that govern the NAACP.

        “The whole procedure is flawed,” Ms. Straughn said. “A member of the nominating committee (Juanita M. Adams) took part in stopping candidates from running and at the same time helped select herself as a candidate.”

        Mrs. Adams, chairman of the nominating committee, is the only candidate for second vice president. Others on the nominating committee are Moss White, Charles Whitehead, Neze Tate and Olivia Waldon.

        “There is nothing illegal about being on the nominating committee and running for an office,” Mrs. Adams said. “I was already second vice president. The nominating committee elected me chairman and nominated me to run for re-election to second vice president.”

        Eric Bryant, assistant director of national field operations for the NAACP, said Friday he will look into the complaints.

        “It is pretty routine that we get complaints about elections or requests for clarification of election procedures,” Mr. Bryant said. “We have 1,700 elections going on this year all over the country.”

        Norma Holt Davis, a Cincinnati attorney who led the chapter's political action committee, is the candidate the committee recommended for president of the chapter.

        “I knew what the procedures were and I am satisfied with them,” Mrs. Davis said.

        Ms. Straughn and Mr. Waits said they received letters acknowledging their interest but were never interviewed. Both also received letters later stating that another applicant had been selected.

        Mr. Springs said he never received a reply from anyone in the local chapter.

        Mrs. Adams would not say if interviews were a part of the nominating process or whether the candidates chosen were interviewed.

“I gave the candidates all the information they needed about the nominating procedures. They failed to show and comply with what was necessary to be nominated from the floor,” she said.

        Mrs. Adams said candidates who did not present petitions signed by three NAACP members were disqualified.

        The three candidates said they were supplied information about meetings, but nothing about nominating procedures.

        Dr. Milton Hinton, president of the NAACP chapter since 1994, announced in September that he would not seek re-election.

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