By Ritchie Starnes

News Editor

Evidence suggests a voter cast a primary ballot in Stanly County after first voting in Pitt County.

The Stanly County Board of Elections has issued a voter challenge involving a May 4 ballot cast by Alexander Bradley Gresham for the May 8 primary. A hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Election officials in Pitt County notified Stanly’s BOE after Gresham’s name showed up on a report showing he had voted twice.

“We were alerted by Pitt County that he appeared on a duplicate report,” said Kimberly Blackwelder, BOE director.

Gresham, who then had an address for student housing at East Carolina University in Greenville, voted during One-Stop in Pitt County on April 25, Blackwelder said.

Records show he was previously registered to vote in Pitt.

But on May 4, Gresham registered in-person as a Republican in Stanly and cast a vote on the same day during One-Stop.

“It appears he voted One-Stop in Pitt County and then came to Stanly County a week later,” Blackwelder said.

Once alerted, Stanly’s BOE disapproved Gresham’s absentee ballot.

Blackwelder has since attempted to contact Gresham by telephone, but to no avail. On Thursday she wrote and mailed a letter to Gresham at his Albemarle residence advising him of the voter challenge.

“As required by G.S. 163-227.2(d), this letter serves as notification that your application for an absentee ballot was not approved,” Blackwelder wrote. “Additionally, your absentee ballot has been challenged…”

Findings from the hearing will be forwarded to the N.C. State Board of Elections for further investigation. Any criminal ramifications will be determined by the District Attorney.

Contact Ritchie Starnes at 704-754-5076 or ritchie.starnes@stanlynewspress.com.