RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper appointed four Democrats and four Republicans to the State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement today under a newly enacted law. The first order of business for the new board will be to select two nominees who are not affiliated with the Democratic or Republican parties. The two names will be submitted to Governor Cooper, who will choose one to fill the final slot on the State Board.
“We congratulate the new members of the State Board and are very grateful they chose to serve at this important time. We look forward to getting to work immediately to tackle issues that have come up in the absence of a State Board and continue preparations for the 2018 elections,” said Kim Westbrook Strach, State Board executive director.
The newly appointed members are:
- Andy Penry of Raleigh as a member registered with the political party with the highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Penry is an attorney at Penry Riemann.
- Joshua Dale Malcolm of Pembroke as a member registered with the political party with the highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Malcolm is the Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary to the UNC Pembroke Board of Trustees. Malcolm currently serves as a Justice on the Supreme Court of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
- Valerie Johnson of Durham County as a member registered with the political party with the highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Johnson is an attorney at Copeley Johnson & Groninger.
- Stella Anderson of Watauga County as a member registered with the political party with the highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Anderson is a Professor in the Department of Management for the College of Business at Appalachian State University.
- Stacy “Four” Eggers, IV of Boone as a member registered with the political party with the second highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Eggers is an attorney with Eggers Law.
- John Randolph Hemphill of Raleigh as a member registered with the political party with the second highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Hemphill is an attorney with Hemphill, Gelder & Monroe.
- John Malachi Lewis of Mt. Pleasant as a member registered with the political party with the second highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Lewis is the Deputy Counsel for the North Carolina Republican Party.
- Ken Raymond of Winston Salem as a member registered with the political party with the second highest number of registered affiliates in the State. Raymond owns and manages Triad Notary Service.
A meeting date hasn’t been set, but state law directs that it be held within 14 days.
The State Board said in a statement that it expects that the new members will soon consider:
- Appointments to county boards
- Non-unanimous early voting plans
- Candidate challenge appeals and requests for appointment of panels for multi-county candidate challenges
- Certification of new elections equipment for use by the counties
- Complaints regarding ethics, lobbying and campaign finance regulations
- Green Party recognition
- Adoption of rules
The State Board has general supervisory authority over all elections in North Carolina, as well as ethics, campaign finance and lobbying reporting and compliance.
