Stephens County Ordered by State to Pay Fine for 2020 Election Violations
By Jessica Waters, WNEG Radio
Stephens County has been ordered by the State Election Board to pay a civil penalty plus a fine for investigative fees in connection with multiple violations of the State Election Code by former Stephens County Elections Supervisor Eureka Gober during the 2020 Elections.
The State issued a Consent Order in December after two years of investigating multiple alleged violations by Gober during the 2020 Election cycle.
According to the State Board of Elections, the Consent serves as a public reprimand of the Stephens County Election Office, and the County is further ordered to cease any further violations of the election code.
The consent order states, “The State Election Board recognizes that the Respondent’s Board has been re-established and that the Respondent has new election officials in place, and that the Respondent believes that this may alleviate the situation that led to the circumstances underlying the order.”
Stephens County was also ordered to pay a civil penalty of $3,000 as well as $536.28 in investigative fees to be reimbursed to the state.
Further, the State has ordered that the county election office “provide adequate training for its board members, poll managers, and poll workers.
County Administrator Christian Hamilton said he has not been made aware of any further investigations by the state, or any further complaints regarding the Stephens County elections since 2020
He said new Elections Supervisor and former Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle is making a big difference in the running of the office.
Hamilton added that, during recent routine visits by State Elections Office personnel, they have had nothing but positive feedback and comments.
Hamilton said the County is taking steps to show citizens the work being done to improve the elections office and said any citizen with concerns can talk to county officials and recently held an open house at the Elections office for the public to come and see the new office and ask questions.
In the December Consent order, it said the State Election Board found evidence of potential violations by former Stephens County Chief Registrar Eureka Gober.
Those listed in December included:
- The Absentee Ballot Drop Box in Stephens County, during the June 9 2020 Primary Election did not have the proper signage as mandated by the state.
- During the June 9, 2020, and August 11, 2020 Primary Runoff, there were no “opening of the polls” records on file with the local or state office.
- Also, it was determined that poll officials were not adequately trained on how to perform certain election process functions, specifically regarding the closing of the poll and tabulation requirements.
- And in the January 5, 2021, General Federal Runoff Election in Stephens County, it was reported by Gober to investigators that two voters voted both in person, and by absentee ballot, and one person voted twice in person.
On September 7, 2022, sister station WNEG News reported that the State Board of Elections had released its findings regarding several other complaints against the Stephens County Elections Office submitted by former Stephens County Republican Party Chairwoman Rebeckah Bennett, alleging that Gober continuously failed to adhere to the rules regarding the fundamentals of the election process for the election cycles for the General Primary for June 2020 and the General Primary Run-off for August 2020.
At that time, five of the seven allegations made by Bennett were found to be credible by the State:
1. Stephens County Chief Registrar Eureka Gober self-reported that her office had yet to enter all 2020 General Election early voter data into Election Net.
2. Stephens County Elections Office did not process two applications for absentee ballots for the 2020 Primary and General Elections.
3. Stephens County Elections Office failed to register three voters in a timely manner, which resulted in one voter not being able to cast a ballot in the 2020 General Election.
4. Stephens County elections staff violated ballot handling, collection, and transportation codes.
5. Stephens County Elections Office failed to respond to open record requests in a timely manner.