BOARD OF REGISTRATIONS AND ELECTIONS, HANCOCK COUNTY: SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 MEETING

In attendance:

Kathy Ransom (Chairperson)

Nancy Stephens (Vice Chair)

Linda Clayton (Board Member, D)

Robert Ingram (Board Member, D)

Jim Youmans (Secretary)

Introduction

This meeting was called to address twenty-eight (28) Hancock County registered voters who may not be current residents of the county. The board sought to determine whether or not there was probable cause to believe the person in question was no longer a resident, and if so, to send a letter instructing this person to come to the hearing if they want to contest their case. Hancock County citizen, Don Bevill, challenged those voters and presented the cases.

Persons in Question

1. ANDREW BROWN

• Mr. Bevill noted his belief that he (Brown) doesn’t live at the current address. Bevill claimed that either he or one of his “associates” knows that Brown does not live at this address.
• Chairperson Ransom swore in Harold Lawson, who Mr. Bevill claims has personal knowledge that Brown doesn’t live at his currently listed address.
• Member Ingram threatened to resign from the board if Bevill and his associates continue to “go out into the black community” and “harass my people” (i.e. hunt around, trying to find people who are registered at the wrong address).
• Mr. Bevill expressed his belief that Brown lives in Milledgeville, not Sparta. Mr. Lawson claimed he had personal information acquired from people he is working with in this effort, that confirms that Brown doesn’t live in Sparta.  These individuals include Gus Washington and Henny Chapman but also many others who don’t want to be identified, for fear that they will be subject to harassment from the other side.
• Member Ingram noted that Lawson has not spoken to Brown himself and only to neighbors, whom Member Ingram believes don’t really know what’s going on in another person’s home.
• Mr. Lawson suggested sending a notice out to Brown to confirm that he lives at the listed address
• Chairperson Ransom asked if there was someone specifically who could verify that Brown doesn’t live at his listed address. Bevill responded that it was his understanding that this was a probable cause case.
• Chairperson Ransom commented that Bevill had presented two contradictory terms: “fact” and “probably;” he’d said he knew for a fact that Brown didn’t live there and then just said that Brown “probably” didn’t live there.
• Mr. Bevill claimed that Chris Harvey (Georgia Elections Director) would approve of the substance of his challenge, to which Chairperson Ransom responded that [Harvey] is not their legal counsel.
• Member Stephens then asked Mr. Bevill to clarify whether he believed Brown does not reside at the Broad Street address, to which Bevill confirmed that he did not.
• When questioned by Chairperson Ransom and Member Youmans, Mr. Bevill noted that he had not personally spoken to Brown–but had spoken to his neighbors.
• After questioning Mr. Lawson, Member Ingram asserted that Mr. Lawson and Mr. Bevill’s proof does not meet the standards in place.
• Mr. Lawson expressed that he would like to move on to other individuals, about whom he and Mr. Bevill have more personal information.
• Member Youmans explained that if a majority of the board today finds that there is probable cause to believe that Brown doesn’t live at the listed address, a letter will be sent to Brown that will instruct him to come to the hearing. If he doesn’t come in, the issue is settled. If he does, we can talk to him about it.
• Member Stephens called a motion finding that probable cause exists and to approve that a letter be sent to Brown at his Broad Street address. Member Youmans seconded.
• Motion approved: with Members Stephens, Youmans, and the Chairperson voting in the affirmative, and Members Clayton and Ingram against.

2. TROY LATIMORE

• Mr. Lawson stated that Latimore lives in Atlanta.
•  Member Clayton noted that, for a time, she (Clayton) was temporarily living in an apartment outside of Hancock because she needed to do that for work. She suggested that maybe some of these individuals are doing the same.
• Chairperson Ransom, Member Stephens, and Member Youmans voted in favor of finding probable cause. Members Ingram and Clayton opposed. The motion passed.

3. JAMES TUCKER

• Mr. Bevill: stated that Tucker lives in Milledgeville and Mr.Bevill obtained that Milledgeville address from a utility bill and from the internet white pages. He also noted that Tucker’s house in Hancock County was vacant due to foreclosure.
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter. The motion passed.

4. MARVIN L. KENDRICK

• Mr. Bevill stated that Kendrick was one example of many not reported to be living out of town—just not at that address. Mr. Bevill did not know where Kendrick was currently living.
• Member Clayton: if the board doesn’t have the person’s correct address, how would that individual receive the letter the board was sending them?
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

5. TANISHA SHANIQUE COBBS

• After it was noted that she has a new non-Hancock address, the board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

6. CYNTHIA DIANE FRANKLIN

• After it was noted that she has a new non-Hancock address, the board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

7. KAREN SATCHER

• Mr. Bevill requested that this case be dropped, noting that this appeared to be a family affair, and noting the board does not have any business in that.

8. EDDIE FRANK SPENCER

• Mr. Bevill did not have any documents or witnesses to proceed with this case.

9. TRENELL LARSA KITCHENS

• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

10. SANQUAN THOMAS

• It was noted that Thomas’ house is burnt down/vacant
• Probable cause vote was four to one, in favor, with Member Ingram opposing.

11. SAMUEL CLAYTON

• Mr. Lawson attested that he had visited the house personally and that it is vacant.
• The vote was postponed due to it being originally called while Member Youmans was in the bathroom. No second to the motion, while he was in the bathroom. He came back and the board was nervous to proceed and make another motion, for fear that it was against the rules to do so.

12. ANTOINE HUBERIT

• Current residents told Mr. Lawson that Huberit doesn’t live there
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

13. ROSEANN ROCKAM:

• Ms. Rockam attested that  she lives at the Sunset Street address, and that her PO box is her mailing address. She asserted that she has lived there for forty (40) years. The other names called Fabrian, etc. are her grandkids who were living with her, but not presently. She commented that now it’s just her, Lewis, Shantay, (her daughter) and her son.

15. DEREK

• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

16. MICHAEL CURTIS EVANS

•  Reported to be in Milledgeville

17. CLIFTON LAMONT BROWN

• Reported to be in Milledgeville
• Four to one vote in favor of probable cause, with Member Ingram opposing.

18. JULIUS WALTER HUNT

• Four to one vote in favor of probable cause, with Member Ingram opposing.
• It was noted that this individual lives in Putnam county.

19. GREGORY TUCKER

• Three to two vote in favor of probable cause, with Members Ingram and Clayton opposing.

20. SABRINA SMITH

• Postponed

21. DANITA BATES

• It was noted that her house is vacant and foreclosed.
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

22. BRIDGET ANDREWS

• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

23. JAMEISHA HUNT

• Mr. Bevill did not have her on his list.

24. KEITH LESLEY

• It was noted that his house is vacant, and it was not known where he is living.
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

25. Dorothy Ann Lesley

• It was noted that her house is vacant and she is living in August with her daughter.
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

26. NELSON MITCHELL

• It was noted that he does not live in Hancock and they have his new address.
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

27. THOMAS ALLEN CULBERT

• It was noted that he resides outside the city limits and they have his new address.
• The board unanimously voted that 1) there was probable cause and 2) to send a letter.

28. VENDELL GILBERT

• Members Ingram, Youmans, and Clayton voted against probable cause

The board skipped over some names for a variety of reasons—saving them for the next hearing due to a lack of information related to the challenge, primarily. Also, some additional, challenged voter names were hard to catch and thus do not appear in this blog post.

Conclusion

Next meeting on Monday, October 5th. at 9am.