04.17.08
Circuit Judge J. Michael Baxley ordered a new election to replace Atlantic Beach’s Nov. 6 mayoral race.  Mayor Irene Armstrong and challenger Retha Pierce filed petitions in circuit court appealing the outcome of the November election, in which Pierce defeated Armstrong by one vote.  The appeals were filed nearly two weeks after the Atlantic Beach election commission voted to hold another election after four votes were disputed.  Their appeal arguments were heard on March 18 at the Horry County Courthouse. Governor Mark Sanford suspended Armstrong from office last month after a Horry County grand jury indicted her on three felony counts of bribery at elections and two misdemeanor counts of misconduct in office.  It is not clear whether Armstrong's legal problems could prevent her from being a mayoral candidate, a county elections official said Wednesday.  "[T]these charges have so undermined the public confidence in the previous election process and the present candidates that this court invokes its equitable powers to insure the integrity and sanctity of the electoral process," the order from the judge reads. The Myrtle Beach Sun News has more on the story here.

03.24.08
Atlantic Beach Mayor Irene Armstrong and town manager Marcia Conner turned themselves in to authorities Monday. Armstrong came under fire back in November, when she was accused of buying votes in an effort to beat challenger Retha Pierce. Both Armstrong and Conner have been suspended, Conner by the town council and Mayor Armstrong by the governor. Last Thursday, a grand jury indicted Mayor Armstrong for buying three votes from two different residents - she still lost the election by one vote. Investigators said Armstrong paid $30 for three votes: two for herself; and one for her brother, town councilman, Jake Evans. Armstrong faces three counts of felony bribery as well as charges that she illegally transferred town money between accounts. Conner faces two charges of misconduct in office after investigators said she illegally transferred money between town accounts as well as a charge of failing to meet the employer's obligation to the police retirement fund. If convicted, Armstrong faces up to 35 years in prison; Conner, if convicted, faces up to 30 years. Both women were released after each paid a $15,000 bond. WBTW News 13 has more on the story here and here.

03.01.08
A jury deliberated 4 ½ hours Friday before finding suspended Eastover Mayor Chris Campbell guilty of vote fraud, forgery and misconduct in office. Judge Michael Nettles then sentenced Campbell to 18 months in prison for each of the three crimes, to be served concurrently, and 300 hours of community service. According to Assistant Attorney General Susan Porter, Campbell cast 16 ballots illegally in Eastover’s April 2006 election, approaching voters addled or infirm with absentee ballots that he then marked for his preferred council candidates. On the initial tally in the April 2006 election, Geraldene Robinson had won one of two available town council seats. The results changed, however, after the tabulation of absentee votes two days later, when Robinson fell eight votes shy and Campbell’s “picks” Walter Jones and Odell Weston were seated on the council. The State and The Charlotte Observer have more on the story here and here.

02.18.08
Eastover’s mayor and police chief are scheduled to go on trial together Tuesday, charged in connection with an election fraud case. The two – suspended mayor Chris Campbell, 41, and Chief Tim Ford, 35 – are charged with conspiring to intimidate witnesses after absentee ballots changed the results of a hotly contested town council race. The controversy centers around 62 absentee ballots cast in Eastover’s April 2006 town council election, which featured six candidates competing for two seats. Campbell faces three felony charges of illegal conduct at elections, intimidation of a witness and conspiracy, as well as three misdemeanor counts of forgery, obstruction of justice and misconduct in office. If convicted of all six charges, Campbell could be sentenced to 43 years in prison and fined at least $11,000. Ford, meanwhile, faces two felony counts of conspiracy and intimidation of a witness, and two misdemeanor counts of obstruction of justice and misconduct in office. If convicted on all four charges, Ford could get 30 years in prison. The State has more on the story here and here.

06.14.07
Eastover Police Chief Timothy Ford was indicted Tuesday by the state grand jury on election fraud charges.  Ford is charged with conspiracy, fraudulent registration or voting, intimidation of a witness, common law obstruction of justice, and common law misconduct in office.  He is the second individual indicted in an investigation into the April 2006 election of two Town Council members.  According to the indictment, Ford “fraudulently represented that he was a resident of Eastover, South Carolina, allowing him to vote in the April 11, 2006, Eastover Town Council Election . . . [and] threatened and/or used force” to intimidate a witness or potential witness in an ongoing criminal investigation."  The other individual, Eastover Mayor Chris Campbell, is accused of using absentee ballots to change the outcome of the April 2006 election.   (“Town’s police chief indicted,” The State, 06/13/07; “Eastover police chief given $25,000 bond,” WIS News channel 10, 06/18/07)

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