LUMBERTON — The chair of the Robeson County Board of Elections entered a complaint hearing at the State Board of Elections in Raleigh on Tuesday and emerged victorious — and it was unanimous.
Tiffany Peguise-Powers, a Democrat and a Lumberton lawyer, was facing allegations of violating state law and state board policy against public comments or actions and social media postings that can be interpreted as an endorsement of a political candidate. The four members of the five-member State Elections Board who were present voted unanimously to dismiss the complaint.
It took the State Board members less than two hours of hearing opinions and testimony to decide the charges in the complaint filed Aug. 20 by Shannon resident Julius Locklear did not meet the standards of being violations.
“Mr. Locklear didn’t attend the hearing,” Powers said.
When asked, Powers spoke little about the hearing, instead focusing on what she called misinformation published about her.
She did thank God and the people who support her. Her supporters know that for the 25 years she has practiced law she never takes shortcuts and is always fair, Powers said.
“I’m excited that it was dismissed because Ms. Tiffany has done a good job during her years on the board,” said Pearlean Revels, chair of the Robeson County Democratic Party.
Revels had intended to go to the State Board hearing but was unable to because of the need to attend to another matter.
“I’m very happy that this is over for her,” Revels said.
She also is glad for the Democratic Party, Revels said. The allegations were casting a bad light on the local political organization.
“People can now see that the Democratic Party in Robeson County is fair and honest,” Revels said.
Phillip Stephens, chairman of the Robeson County Republican Party, said the hope now is everyone can move forward after a trying special election to fill the N.C. District 9 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Each side has had the opportunity to air their differences,” Stephens said.
The people targeted by the complaints have received warnings, he said. The complaints have resulted in losses from the county Elections Board, a Republican and Democrat.
“We think the goal is to now come together,” Stephens said. “We have confidence in the board members’ ability to work together after a trying special election season.”
Karen Nance, a Democrat, and Olivia Oxendine, a Republican, were targets of similar complaints filed in August. Nance was cited in Locklear’s complaint, and she resigned from the county board on Aug. 30. Oxendine resigned on Aug. 21, but insisted she resigned because she sold her home in Lumberton and was almost certain she was going to move out of Robeson County.
County Board of Elections member Larry Townsend, a Democrat, said the allegations and resignations added more stress to an understaffed elections office. The staff is down three people during a year that already has seen two Lumberton City Council special elections and the District 9 election. Municipal elections are coming up in November. Then there are party primaries and the November general election in 2020.
The staff also is missing interim Director Tina Bledsoe, he said. Bledsoe had to take time off for health reasons, and it’s not known when she will return.
“We need help,” Townsend said. “There’s got to be more people hired.”
The existing staff members are working hard, he said.
“They’re miracle workers getting so much done being understaffed,” he said.
As for the allegations against Powers, Nance and Oxendine, Townsend would only say, “Allegations come up all the time.”
