ELIZABETHTOWN — Ideology aside, the chairmen of the two major political parties in Bladen County have found common ground.

They’re in agreement the newly appointed election board is off to a good start and offering hope for a county beset with embarrassing troubles and national headlines. The Rev. Larry Hayes, chairman of the Democrats, and Wayne Schaeffer, chairman of the Republicans, said in a joint interview Tuesday they are glad to see the progress.

“Even though there is not a full board sitting yet, nevertheless, my impression is that this board already has hit the ground running,” Schaeffer said. “And they’re making every effort to be much more organized than perhaps the previous board was. They’ve got a solid professional approach, a good business approach, they’re open to questions, they’re ready with the answers or as they have indicated, will research to get the answers.

“I’m encouraged by what I see. I think we’re turning a corner.”

Hayes said he’s in “100 percent” agreement.

“And I’m looking forward to the consent of the voters, to exercise their right, believing their votes will count now,” he said. “We didn’t have a lot of faith in it. There were things that took place, things that were reported that never got taken care of, but they seem to be now. I agree.”

Bladen County gained unwanted national attention following the Nov. 6 elections when the race for a U.S. House seat in District 9 was not verified by the state Board of Elections. Also not verified were two races in the county, one for a commissioner seat and the other for two spots on the Soil & Water Conservation District board.

Absentee ballots were central to investigations that followed, leading to an evidentiary hearing in February. It was there over four days that testimony revealed accusations of a ballot harvesting scheme orchestrated by Bladenboro’s McCrae Dowless, a man later criminally charged along with four others.

Over the years, campaign finance reports show Dowless has worked for the dollar, whether it comes from Republicans or Democrats. In the 2018 election cycle, the twice-convicted felon was employed by the Rev. Mark Harris, a Republican who appeared to defeat Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes on Election Day.

After the hearing, a special election was called, a redo for the U.S. House seat and the two Bladen races.

A new state board was put in place at the beginning of the year, and that board refused to seat any previous Bladen election board members who were nominated. The Bladen board began with three Democrats — Louella Thompson, Patsy Sheppard and Deborah Belle — and later added a Republican, Emery White. It remains one member short.

“I think the staff, inside the board of elections, is more positive and feels more comfortable in their job,” Hayes said.

And Schaeffer pointed out, he doesn’t want to disparage former board members.

“The overall direction seems much more positive to Larry and I,” he said. “Prior problems are being addressed, whereas perhaps before they were not. We’ve got a good tough board.”

The board has been somewhat learning as it goes. State staff sent Veronica DeGraffenreid to the county, and she appeared at nearly every board meeting as the special election approached. She made it a point to allow the board to operate, she offered guidance as asked, and she engaged with others who came to the meetings and had questions.

The board was quick to demand the county provide legal counsel be present for their meetings. They sought to meet the law with assignments of chief judges and poll workers at the precincts. Their sticking points within those regulations were specifics to party affiliation and residency, family ties, and party affiliation remaining intact for replacements to appointed chief judges.

Not every step of the board has been perfect, but their effort to follow the law and procedure has arguably been in nonpartisan steps.

“We’re more hopeful for the future of the voters in Bladen County,” Hayes said.

“I concur,” Schaeffer said.

Schaeffer added that the two chairmen are hopeful to get voters interested and engaged. In doing so, he said, the county will improve.

“That’s the desire of both party chairs, to work together and get voters out,” Hayes said.

“We need to get people out, and have informed voters,” Schaeffer said.

Hayes took a liking to a way his counterpart described the board’s approach.

“This board is wrapping itself around us, and that’s good,” Schaeffer said. “It’s making the process much more inclusive, and that extends to the last voter in the county.”

Both men said the informed voter is the one who knows their rights, regardless of party affiliation.

“There have been problems that go back years,” Schaeffer said. “We’re going to turn a corner. As party chairs, we’re going to work together to be sure voters are informed. They need to be a part of the process. Without them, we will not have a forward-looking county.”

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Alan Wooten

Bladen Journal

Alan Wooten can be reached at 910-247-9132 or awooten@bladenjournal.com. Twitter: @alanwooten19.