ELIZABETHTOWN — The Bladen County Board of Elections’ three newest members were sworn in and held their first meeting Monday morning.
Louella Thompson was chosen by Gov. Roy Cooper as chairwoman. Patsy Sheppard and Deborah Belle are also on the board. No Republican representatives are in place; those nominated were not approved and the state party has since seen its chairman indicted.
It is unclear when there will be GOP representation in the two vacant seats.
Niki S. Dennis, the clerk of Superior Court in Bladen County, administered the oaths of office.
In a meeting that lasted more than an hour, the group often engaged with the small number in attendance, in particular Al Daniel and the Rev. Larry Hayes. Daniel was an original nominee to the board but not allowed to serve because he was on the board previously during the time an absentee ballot harvesting scheme is alleged to have happened. Hayes is chairman of the county’s Democratic Party.
Their inclusion to multiple discussions by board members was permitted by Thompson and included more engagement by Sheppard than the other two.
The oaths of office were less than 10 minutes old when Sheppard leveled accusations about mishandled ballots at Valencia McKoy, the interim director of the Board of Elections. She also had a sharp retort to Angela Pait about activities transpiring at a polling site in the fall.
Encouraged by Pait to talk to both sides to determine what transpired at such an event in the future, Sheppard said, “I’m not here to protect the poll workers.”
She also encouraged the board to get away from using any church as a polling site. That point came up in discussion about Singletary United Methodist Church having been used, and would be again, in the Bethel precinct because the Lions Club was damaged by Hurricane Florence.
“I don’t want us to do that again,” she said. “It’s not a good policy.”
The board reviewed and signed a number of documents pertaining to their position on the board. They were also advised of the state-determined early voting dates and times, and training sessions already started for poll workers.
McKoy said representatives from the state board had made multiple visits to the county already, with more expected.
The Bladen County Board of Elections held a swearing in ceremony for its newest members Monday morning. The board is still two members short. From left are Valeria McKoy, the interim director of the county Board of Elections; board chairwoman Louella Thompson; board members Patsy Sheppard and Deborah Belle; and Niki S. Dennis, the clerk of Superior Court who administered the oath for each new board member. In addition to the swearing in, the board went through its first agenda together.
Deborah Belle pledges her oath for the Bladen County Board of Elections. Niki S. Dennis, clerk of Superior Court, administered.
Patsy Sheppard pledges her oath for the Bladen County Board of Elections. Niki S. Dennis, clerk of Superior Court, administered.
Louella Thompson pledges her oath for the Bladen County Board of Elections. Niki S. Dennis, clerk of Superior Court, administered. Thompson was chosen chairwoman by Gov. Roy Cooper.