Formal complaint filed against commissioner candidate

 

By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com

Previous coverage
* 10/30 — Commissioner candidate distributes illegal sample ballots
* 10/31 — Letter: I don’t back down from my original intent

Though Richmond County commissioner candidate Peggy Covington said she believes it’s making a big deal out of almost nothing, Richmond County resident and Republican Dan Moody on Friday filed a formal complaint with the North Carolina Board of Elections due to Covington’s alleged distribution of sample ballots without legally mandated disclaimers.

Peggy Covington

Peggy Covington

Moody, who this week resigned as a member-at-large of the Richmond County Republican Party in order to be eligible to be chief judge at Wolf Pit No. 2 precinct at the Community Church recreation building East Rockingham, said he felt compelled to file the complaint even if no one else would.

“In good conscience, I can’t let this go down,” said Moody, who noted he relocated to Richmond County 10 years ago but chose to stay in part because of what he called a Democrat stronghold that used questionable tactics to get the results the party wanted in elections.

Covington is one of four challengers fighting incumbents Ben Moss, a Republican, and Democrats Thad Ussery and Don Bryant. Democrat Herbie Long and Republican Donnie Richardson also are in the contest. The six candidates are vying for four available seats on the seven-member board.

Moody told Sheryll Harris, a compliance office with the state Board of Elections, in an email sent late Friday afternoon that it was on Oct. 23, the first day of early voting, that he saw a sample ballot being passed around by a campaign worker of Covington’s. The sample ballot had the bubble beside the names of a number of candidates — all Democrats — filled in. The sample ballot lacked the required disclaimers that it was paid for by Peggy Covington’s campaign committee and a statement that it was not the official ballot.

He brought the issue to the attention of Connie Kelly, director of Richmond County elections. Moody said Kelly talked with Covington on Oct. 24 about the issue. Moody said he’d hoped the issue was resolved.

A few days later, however, it was learned that at least a few county residents received a copy of the sample ballot in their mailboxes. The sample ballot, coupled with a campaign flier touting Covington’s accomplishments when she served as commissioner from 2008 to 2012, again lacked the required disclaimers.

“When the local press ask(ed) for a comment for an article about illegal ballots, I realized she was still doing the same thing and had not stop(per) and corrected the problem,” Moody told Harris in the emailed formal complaint.

Moody said Covington had been involved in a similar issue in a previous election with another candidate for office. But the first time concern was noted, it was resolved, Moody said.

“If we are going to have rules, we all need to follow them les(t) we just drive through the next red light we see,” Moody wrote to Harris.

It is unclear what happens next. Harris was not immediately available for comment on Friday.

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  • Camilla Hudson

    I do believe Covington knew exactly what she was doing. Glad this is not going un-challenged….Let’s keep it clean..

    • jackie thompson

      i KNOW she knew shes not fooling anybody she is power hungry and will sell her own ppl out to get the tiny power she can amass all the while kissing the counties elite white ass…everybody that knows her knows her game

  • Joey DeBerry

    I personally disagree with the deception that Mrs Covington is using these Ballots for she Produced to several in this County to Sway Voters to Vote Democrat only and she Has done this Before Knowing it was Illegal the way she was Handing them out one the First Day of Early Voting .IF any Candidate no matter what Party is Caught Deceiving the Legal Voting Process Should not be allowed to Continue Running for Office and she Knows she was. I have talk to the State Board of Elections this morning on this Matter and we will see what the turn out will be and you can Contact them as well with any Proof of Illegal Activity you can get proof of and a Picture is worth the Proof you can Submit for Evidence as well. IF you have one of these Ballots Send it to The State Board of Elections @ PO Box 27255 Raleigh NC 27611 or Call 866-522-4723 and they will be Glad to Help you . She is Putting her Remarks in The Pee Dee Post not in the The Richmond County Daily Journal

    • jackie thompson

      because if richmond county saw her remarks everyone would call her on shenanigans…bottom line

  • jackie thompson

    peggy has been at this for YEARS she isnt trustworthy at all and has used the elections as attempts not to help the county but further herself among wealthy whites and lord over the black community ive known her almost 20 years and the way she behaves around whites and the way she lords over her own people wielding her own self importance is shameful and i hope she stays unelected

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