State Elections Board Dismisses Ballot Harvesting Allegations Against RC Oglesby

Allegations of ballot harvesting by former Hart County Commissioner RC Oglesby could not be substantiated.

That’s according to the findings of an investigator with the State Board of Elections.

According to information obtained by WLHR News from the State Board of Elections under the Open Records Act, a complaint was filed against Oglesby by a person regarding the November 2021, Hartwell City Council election.

The complainant alleged that they heard R.C. Oglesby talk about how he collected ballots from electors who vote for him in the local city elections back when he was a candidate/ councilman and turned the ballots in for them.

The Investigator for the Secretary of State’s office, Trent Anding, said he reached out to the complainant and received a reply who “advised that they wished to remain anonymous regarding this investigation and did not have any further information to provide; thus, the Complainant’s initial statement could not be included in this case as the details would obviously reveal who they are.”

Anding also reached out to the Hart County Election’s Office.

“Election Director Robin Webb advised that they have suspected Mr. Oglesby of ballot harvesting, however, they did not have any evidence of it,” he said.

Anding said Ms. Webb provided him with the contact info of a past complainant regarding Mr. Oglesby’s alleged ballot harvesting,” he stated.

That complaint was filed after the 2020 elections.

Anding said he contacted that person who provided an e-mail statement, which advised that he heard that Mr. Oglesby had turned in 125 ballots that he collected for another candidate in a local race in 2020.

“The initial Complainant (also) decided to remain anonymous and would not provide a written statement but would only say that they were witness to Mr. Oglesby’s words and had no additional evidence,” Anding wrote.

Anding said Webb told him her office suspected Mr. Oglesby of ballot harvesting at that time, but again, did not have any evidence.

Another potential witness said he had heard about it but did not actually witness Mr. Oglesby either talking about it or actually harvesting ballots.

Anding concluded there was no hard evidence to prove Oglesby was involved in ballot harvesting, only mere suspicion.