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Cumberland County elections board dismisses Godwin protest after clerk admits limited texting
Summary
The Cumberland County Board of Elections dismissed Dennis C. Smith Sr.'s protest alleging the Godwin town clerk improperly influenced voters by texting on election day, finding insufficient evidence that any influenced voters changed their ballots and that the outcome was affected.
The Cumberland County Board of Elections on Monday dismissed an election protest filed by Dennis C. Smith Sr., concluding there was not substantial evidence that a town clerk’s messages changed voters’ intentions or swayed the outcome of the Godwin town commissioners race.
Chair Linda DeBorde opened the quasi‑judicial hearing by explaining the panel would hear sworn testimony and consider affidavits and documents. The protester, Dennis C. Smith Sr., said he was told on election day that the town clerk had been "physically texting everybody from her job" urging votes for incumbents and provided the board a photograph of a text message he said bears the clerk’s number and a 10:30 a.m. timestamp.
The text presented by the protester, he said, read in part: "if you are voting today, would you please vote for George Cooper, Joseph Smith, Ronald Menil, and Scarlett Hall ... We would like…
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