Sgt. Sharon Johnson responds after Carson Walker speaks out of order

Published 9:01 pm Thursday, October 24, 2024

The Sumter County Board of Elections met on October 23. Sheriff Eric Bryant updated the Board. “Early voting is already in progress, and one of the things that we decided to do at the Sheriff’s Office verses assigning someone to be at the fairgrounds the entire time, we’ve actually created a direct line of communication for poll workers in an event of a situation [arising] that they need emergency services, because we definitely didn’t want to make a voting environment to appear intimidating.”

Election supervisor LaSandra Patterson gave an update, noting an issue on the first day of voting. “We had a problem with the ballot marking devices.” She told how the issue was quickly resolved. “Once we switched them out, voting continued. Voting never stopped.”

She gave details. “We started out with three machines up and running. Once the other three was switched out, we had six machines going.”

Board of Elections member Dr. Valerie Roberts commented. “I appreciate you knowing what to do because of the trainings that you’ve had and acting very quickly to make sure that things are continuing to run smoothly.”

Board member Randy Howard commented on Logistics and Accuracy. “Every time you get a touch screen and you vote on it, it has to be zeroed out. That means you know it’s clean, it’s clear, and everything else.” He indicated the issues with the machines concerned L&A. “Now what’s she’s talking about, we had three that came up that day in particular, that well, should not [have] been brought there, that were brought there by detail and she took care of that and cleaned that up immediately.”

Patterson also addressed the Board. “I put this together just to bring some facts before the board about the intimidation, undermining, bullying, harassment, and the tone of the disrespect, disrespectful emails. When I accepted this job, I came into the door with seven years of experience.”

She recounted her first board meeting. “My first board meeting on March 2, after being on the job two weeks, [was] where I felt the intimidation began with comments on how to use the credit card, staying within budget, stay out of trouble with the Secretary of State. ‘If you do something wrong, they’re coming after you because your name is on the form.’ Mr. Howard stated that he added $4,000 into the budget for food and water for poll workers. During that year, the election office was over budget.”

She gave further details. “Disrespected emails I received since September included stating things like, the board does not have to check with you to decide, to decide to contact the County Attorney during legal issues involving the Board, but it was charged to the election office which I have to approve, undermining my decision, talking with vendors without knowledge, without my knowledge, about conducting the LNA testing.”

LaSandra stated the bullying started around September when she chose Dominion to do the L&A testing on election night and before. “Mr. Howard and Mr. Walker went out on their own and contacted Dominion rep.” She stated she found out afterwards.

Walker criticized the lack of heating for poll workers during the February elections. He claimed a lack of preparation was an issue in another. “In the more recent election, we had 11 precincts that the machines, they couldn’t turn them on.”

He stated his conclusion. “Somebody should have had the responsibility to check those machines to make sure that key codes were correct so they would turn on in the morning.”

Walker addressed a final issue. “This recent election, Miss Patterson just mentioned it, we had six machines delivered to us. Three of them would not work. In fact, those three probably could be in violation of Secretary of State law. They had information still on them. They should have come into the building blank. Now we do have a process, and once they’re in there, just for all of ya’ll to know, we do clear them all every morning and, but these three would not work.” He stated that someone should have checked the machines

Chair of the Board of Elections Dr. Shirley Latimore criticized Walker’s desire to hold the meeting in the first place when voting had already begun on October 15th. She also criticized the manner in which he had requested it. “He came and he pointed, he got in my face, got in my space, going back and forth.” She called him disrespectful and unprofessional.

Afterward Latimore commented further. “He was loud and disruptive. Voters noticed and commented. Randy Howard was there and did not try to stop him. He did not say a word. Mr. Walker was out of control.”

Latimore also stated that the elections supervisor’s receive trainings issued by the Secretary of State that Board members did not have. She also claimed that Walker skirted her authority. “Be a man and come to me and talk to me if there are issues.”

Latimore commented further. “Emotional is not the place right now for an election.”

Walker attempted to respond, before Latimore intervened, stating it was Patterson’s turn. “You’ve had your time.”

The president of the NAACP, Eugene Edge, shouted out; “Be quiet Mr. Carson.” He also stood, stating; “I’m out of order. He’s out of order. She has the chair.”

Blue Argo, president of the Democratic Committee, stood and also commented. “I’m out of order too.”

Several other citizens made comments. County attorney Hayden Hooks shouted “Sit down and shut up.”

Edge replied. “Tell Mr. Carson to shut up.”

Walker continued, claiming they were not notified of poll worker trainings. “We would like to attend. Well, there was about three or four meetings where they had training, and we did not get a call.”

Board member Dr. Valerie Roberts defended Patterson. “She knows more about the code and the new regulations than any of us.”

Howard clarified his comments to Patterson, speaking of his experience as the previous Elections Supervisor. “When I bring that stuff to your attention, it’s out of good faith.” He also claimed that they only had a desire to know what was going on. “Did you know that not one budget presentation was ever made to the Board? The whole Board didn’t even know there was a budget until it got approved.” He stated the decision to go with Dominion was not discussed.

Walker attempted to speak again. Sergeant Sharon Johnson intervened. She also addressed the crowd. “I got this.”

Latimore addressed Howard. “You took all the staff, you took everything. The office was in disarray.”

She gave her conclusion. “Bottom line is that we need to clarify roles and responsibilities of the Sumter County Board of Elections and Voter Registration.” She further concluded; “The Board needs to support the supervisor, and not micromanage her.”