By Erin Smith
The newly impaneled State Board of Elections held their first meeting on Thursday and promptly tabled making appointments to the Bladen County Board of Elections.
During the meeting, Dr. Alexander made a motion to table making the appointments to the Bladen County Board of Elections.
“I move that we table appointments in Bladen County until the evidentiary hearing beginning on February 18 has concluded,” said Dr. Alexander.
According to the list of nominees published on the NC State Board of Elections meeting portal, the nominees for the Bladen County Board of Elections for the Democratic Party are Patricia Shepphard, Al Daniel, and Deborah Belle. The nominees for the Republican Party are Bobby Ludlum, Kenneth Robert Davis and Emery White. Daniel Ludlum and Davis have all served on the Bladen County Board of Elections in the past.
An evidentiary hearing regarding voting irregularities that occurred in Bladen County in the 9th Congressional District race during the November 2018 general election is scheduled to begin on Monday, February 18, and is anticipated to last about two days. The hearing will be conducted at the NC State Bar located at 217 East Edenton Street in Raleigh.
According to the unofficial election results published on the NC State Board of Elections website, Republican Mark Harris is leading Democratic Candidate Dan McCready by 905 votes.
The NC State Board of Elections refused to certify the results of the 9th Congressional District race. The board also notified the Bladen County Board of Elections and advised them not to issue certificates of election in the Bladen County Commissioner District 3 race and the Bladen County Soil and Water District Board race.
Absentee ballot envelops were seized by State Board of Elections investigators after allegations of fraud and ballot tampering were alleged. No complaints were filed with the Bladen County Board of Elections office nor the North Carolina State Board of Elections office in Raleigh.
The US Committee on House Administration has contacted the North Carolina State Board of Elections about the possibility of stepping in with regard to the investigation. A letter was sent to NC State Board of Elections Director Kimberly Strach in January seeking notes and other investigative materials pertaining to the investigation.
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