By Erin Smith
The protest to the Dublin Town Commissioners race was denied on Tuesday afternoon after the candidate Richard Sibbett ceded 10 of the 16 ballots he had initially protested based on the residency of the voters.
“Mr. Sibbett has filed a petition saying that domicile is the issue and that is the issue before this board,” said Attorney Leslie Johnson, who serves as the attorney for Bladen County. He was joined by Allen Johnson who also represents Bladen County.
Johnson explained that 18 people were subpoenaed or sent registered letters instructing them to appear for the protest hearing. Sibbett claimed in his protest that the voters who cast the 16 ballots in question did not reside in the town of Dublin.
The first to testify was Jody Bartleson. Sibbett’s petition claimed that Bartleson did not reside at 243 Armfield Street in Dublin.
“I pulled an address of 1646 Jack Richardson Road, Elizabethtown, and that is not in the Dublin city limits,” said Sibbett. He also gave a telephone number which was not local either.
Johnson asked Sibbett if he had other information on Bartleson, he said, “No.” Next, Johnson asked Sibbett how he found the address for Bartleson. “I looked it up on People Search on Yahoo,” said Sibbett.
Board of Elections Chairman Bobby Ludlum asked, “On this search you did, did you look in other directions after you did the search on Yahoo?”
“Yes, sir. I pulled the tax records which are public and I’m looking here now (at his paperwork) to see if I can find Mr. Bartleson,” said Sibbett.
Ludlum asked Sibbett if there was any way he could tell how old the information produced by the Yahoo search was and Sibbett indicated there was not. He told those present he had searched for some friends to see what their addresses were and they were showing at their current locations and that was the top address.
Bartleson testified he has resided at 243 Armfield Street in Dublin for seven months. He rents from Sergio Jimenez.
Attorney Cynthia Singletary, who represents incumbent Jeff Smith, offered affidavits on behalf of several of the voters in question. She also presented light bills and water bills, on behalf of those same voters.
When Johnson asked Sibbett about voter Lisa Britt, Singletary offered an affidavit on her behalf.
“I do have a problem with this one because I know this house. No one stays in this house. This house is three doors down from me. I have asked several of my neighbors if they have ever seen anyone there. They have not. There is a boat sitting under the car port, there is never a car in the drive way. There is never a trash can out on Monday morning or Sunday night for trash pick up. This says three women stay in that house. Where’s the trash? Where’s the cars?” said Sibbett.
Johnson asked Sibbett if he knew Lisa Britt. Sibbett replied, “No.”
Tommy Thompson, who resides on the street and is a neighbor of Sibbett, testified that he has never seen anyone at the house.
As the hearing moved on, Chris McLaughlin, who is a college student, testified that he resides with his father in Dublin while he is attending classes.
Once all of the evidence was presented, Sibbett officially ceded ten ballots. They were Jody Bartleson, Kenneth Charbonnier, Robert Dowless, Janice Lewis, Chris McLaughlin, Valeria Miranda, Martin Pleasant, Anthony Robinson and McKenzie Robinson.
“That leaves five or six names that we need to review. Do you want to do that today or tomorrow?” asked Attorney Allen Johnson
“The law states that if the results don’t change the outcome of the election the protest is denied,” said Board of Elections Chairman Bobby Ludlum.
After some further review, Attorney Leslie Johnson said because Sibbett ceded the ten votes there was not enough ballots to review to change the election outcome.
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