by Nick Craig - The Carolina Journal

An alleged cash-for-votes scheme tied to Wilmington’s municipal elections has been referred to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) for further investigation as voters in New Hanover County cast ballots for city council.

A New Hanover County voter claims they received text messages offering payment in exchange for voting for three Democratic city council candidates. According to text messages, the voter was promised $100 per candidate vote.

The North Carolina Republican Party (NCGOP) reviewed unredacted text messages it received before forwarding them to the State Board of Elections for further investigation.

NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons commented on the importance of fair, free, honest, and transparent elections.

“This is troubling. An allegation of paying a voter and attempting to buy votes in an election is an affront to our shared values,” Simmons said in a press release. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to the integrity of honest elections and will continue to work diligently to keep North Carolina elections fair, free, honest, and transparent.”

John Hinnant, the chairman of the New Hanover County Republican Party, told Carolina Journal it’s important for voters to stay vigilant during election season.

“We take these allegations very seriously. The voter who received this message did the right thing and reported it to the election integrity hotline,” said Hinnant. “For voters, if you see something, say something and remember, it is a violation of law to take a photograph inside the polling place.”

Statement from New Hanover County Republican Party

Jill Hopman, chairwoman of the New Hanover County Democratic Party, said the messages are not connected to any local Democratic candidates or the party, calling the allegations a “farce.”

“The New Hanover Democratic Party is fully committed to free, fair, and secure elections and believes anyone trying to purchase votes should be prosecuted. That said, let’s be clear about the facts here,” Hopman said in a statement. “One well-known local MAGA activist received a text message from an anonymous untraceable number not affiliated with any candidate or party, with nothing to suggest it’s indicative of a widespread scheme. Unfortunately, instead of waiting for the NC Board of Elections to investigate this farce, the NCGOP is trying to turn this into a sensationalized circus.”

Statement from New Hanover County Democrat Party

Wilmington City Councilman Luke Waddell, a Republican running for reelection, stressed the importance of election integrity.

“Election fraud is a serious allegation. If these allegations are determined to be true, the guilty parties should be prosecuted,” said Waddell. “My understanding is that both state and local authorities are aware of the matter and are conducting an investigation. Election integrity is the cornerstone of public trust, and every credible concern should be reviewed thoroughly to ensure confidence in our democratic process. Earlier today, I retained legal counsel to closely monitor this situation, and my campaign will aggressively pursue all legal remedies if evidence is found to support these claims.”

Cassidy Santaguida, who is running as a Democrat in the city council election, said she has not seen any evidence to substantiate the allegations.

“I have not seen any evidence to verify the truth of this message, but I alerted the NHCDP chair of this accusation on Tuesday afternoon and have no further knowledge about it,” Santaguida told Carolina Journal. “I have run an honest, transparent campaign focused on issues affecting the residents of Wilmington. I’ll continue to focus on the needs of our city, and I trust that law enforcement and the NCSBE will investigate the legitimacy of these allegations.”

Kelly Roberts Jr., a Republican candidate for city council, called the situation a shame.

“As a veteran and someone who works in cybersecurity, I’ve dealt with plenty of bad actors who use technology to bribe and scam individuals,” Roberts told Carolina Journal. “It’s a shame that we are seeing this happen in our community with local elections. Thank you to the NC GOP for bringing this to light.”

State Auditor Dave Boliek said on social media that his office is aware of the allegations.

“Our office will provide any additional resources or assistance needed to thoroughly investigate this matter. We will hold any bad actors accountable and give voters confidence in our elections,” Boliek wrote on X.

The NCSBE met Friday morning but did not address the investigation during the public portion of the meeting.

Nick Craig hosts The Carolina Journal News Hour weekdays from 5-6 AM on WBT radio in Charlotte. Nick's broadcasting career officially took off in 2016 when he started working in Wilmington, where he honed his skills in media and public speaking. His early work in broadcasting laid the foundation for his ongoing efforts to influence political conversations and engage a wider audience in critical discussions about politics.

Link to original article - https://www.carolinajournal.com/alleged-cash-for-vote-scheme-in-wilmington-elections/

Alleged cash-for-vote scheme in Wilmington elections

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