03/27/2024
Spread the love

nc-state-board-of-electionsThe N.C. Board of Elections on Saturday night dismissed two protests over Bladen County results, citing a lack of substantial evidence of a violation of election law or other irregularity or misconduct sufficient to cast doubt on the results. However, the board will make available all information about one protest to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Public Information Information Office Patrick Gannon said.

The board voted unanimously to dismiss a protest by Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr. of Bladenboro over absentee ballots, and dismissed a protest on appeal from Kenneth Register regarding the District 3 commissioners race that was won by Republican Ashley Trivette.

The Dowless protest was the one to be made available to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Dowless alleged that voter fraud occurred in the Soil and Water District race, claiming that about 150 absentee ballots were filled out and signed by a small number of individuals. The complaint alleged a ballot mill scheme was conducted in Bladen County and also alleged irregularities or misconduct with regards to some of the absentee ballots.  According to Dowless’ protest, numerous absentee ballots contained the same or similar handwriting. The protest suggested the Bladen County Improvement Association, a local political action committee, was involved in the voting irregularities.

“We have an obligation to ensure that every vote is counted accurately and that our elections process is conducted legally,” Gov. Pat McCrory said after the board’s decision. “Any verified instance of voter fraud or other illegal activity should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

N.C. Democratic Party spokesman Jamal Little said, “Not even the Republican-controlled board of elections supported the McCrory campaign’s claims of fraud. It’s clear that the only real threat to our democracy is the false claims of voter fraud coming from the NCGOP.”

Dallas Woodhouse, who is executive director of the state Republican Party, admitted that while Dowless’ protest may not change the outcome of any particular election, that it was important to find out if anything unlawful took place.

“This scheme, which uses only a few people to fill out hundreds of absentee ballots, and a Political Action Committee funded by the North Carolina Democrat Party, represents serious violations of both federal and state election law, and should be independently reviewed also by our State Bureau of Investigation,” Woodhouse said. “These issues have to be examined, even if they do not effect the outcome of individual races at this time, because next time they could.”

In the commissioner’s race, Register lost to Trivette by 433 votes, 2,957 to 2,524, according to unofficial returns posted after the November elections.

In a preliminary hearing Nov. 29, the Bladen County Board of Elections dismissed on a 2-to-1 vote Register’s protest over a memory stick being switched. Bobby Ludlum and Brian Hehl voted to dismiss the protest and Al Daniels voted to allow the protest to go forward. Saturday, the state board agreed with the Bladen County ruling.

The protest has delayed the installation of Trivette, Ray Britt and David Gooden to the Board of Commissioners that was scheduled Monday because the results have not been certified. Bladen County Manager Greg Martin said the installation and the election of a chairman and vice-chairman will take place at a later date.

About Author