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Spartanburg Election Probe: Poll Worker Allegations on Local Ballot
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Spartanburg Election Integrity Under Scrutiny as Poll Worker Allegations Spark Investigation |
Local election officials have called in law enforcement after reports surfaced of poll workers potentially having close family ties to candidates on the ballot, a clear violation of state rules. |
The integrity of the local vote in Spartanburg County is facing a serious challenge.
Officials with Spartanburg County Voter Registration & Elections have launched a formal investigation into troubling allegations against local poll workers.
The core of the issue involves claims that certain poll managers were working in precincts where their own close relatives were listed as candidates on the very ballot they were administering.
This action, if true, represents a direct violation of established South Carolina election law.
Law enforcement has now been brought in to examine the situation, adding significant weight to the inquiry.
The rules for ensuring impartial elections are explicitly clear in the state's Poll Managers Handbook.
The handbook strictly prohibits a poll manager from serving in a polling place where their spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister is a candidate.
Election officials confirmed that every poll manager signs a sworn oath affirming they meet these qualifications before they are permitted to work.
It is a poll worker's personal responsibility to self-report any such conflict of interest.
This allows the county to reassign them to a different location where their family member's name is not on the ballot, thereby protecting the fairness of the vote.
In response to the allegations, the individuals involved in the investigation have been suspended from their duties.
Their future as poll managers in Spartanburg now hinges entirely on the outcome of the investigation, with termination being a possible result.
This controversy strikes at the heart of voter confidence and the critical need for non-partisanship at every polling place. |
