RALEIGH — The chairman of the Surry County Board of Elections resigned two days after he was arrested for allegedly putting the drug MDMA into the ice cream of his two granddaughters.
A Facebook post by the Wilmington Police Department announced James Edwin Yokeley Jr.’s Aug. 26 arrest.
“On August 8, 2025, while on patrol, a Wilmington Police Officer was flagged down by James Yokeley at the Sheetz gas station at 2517 Shipyard Blvd.,” the Wilmington Police post reads. “Mr. Yokeley informed the officer that his two juvenile granddaughters had found two hard objects in the ice cream they had recently purchased at the Dairy Queen located at 5901 Oleander Dr.
“During the investigation, it was determined by video footage that Yokeley had been the one who placed the two pills into both victims’ ice cream.”
The post said medics examined the two girls and found they had not ingested any of the substances found in their ice cream.
Wilmington Police said the preliminary field tests on the pills showed they were illegal narcotics and were sent to a lab. Testing later concluded the drugs were MDMA — also known as ecstasy or molly — and cocaine.
The lab conclusion was confirmed by the arrest warrant, which says Yokeley “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did intentionally inflict serious physical injury, placing blue pressed pill containing MDMA, cocaine into blizzard drink being consumed by victim,” according to warrant documents.
Yokeley has been charged with felony child abuse, felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and two counts of contaminating food with a controlled substance.
He was issued a $100,000 secured bond and was released from the New Hanover County Detention Center. His next hearing is set for 9 a.m. on Sept. 11 at the New Hanover County Courthouse. Court records show Wilmington area attorney Eric J. Howland is representing Yokeley.
“The State Board of Elections and Surry County Board of Elections are aware of the charges against Mr. Yokeley, the chair of the Surry County Board of Elections,” the Surry County Board of Elections said in an Aug. 27 statement. “We will continue to collect information about the situation and will provide support to the Surry County board, as needed, to ensure it is able to continue serving the county’s voters.”
Yokeley, a registered Republican, was appointed as chair in 2023 and reappointed to the role by North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek this past May along with chairs for the state’s 99 other counties. In a statement issued the morning of Aug. 28, Boliek called on Yokeley to resign.
“The arrest and investigation of the Surry County Board of Elections Chair is very disturbing,” Boliek said in a press release. “This matter distracts from election management in Surry County and must be addressed quickly and directly.
“Our office is built on holding individuals accountable. He needs to resign, and Surry County needs a new Board of Elections Chair. If he doesn’t resign, I’ll be requesting the State Board take action today to remove him as Chair.”
About 30 minutes after the auditor’s statement went out, Boliek issued a new statement saying Yokeley resigned at “approximately 11:44 a.m.”
“As I had called for, the Chair of the Surry County Board of Elections has resigned,” Boliek said. “With his resignation, the Surry County Board and State Board can now, without distraction, move forward with the process of appointing a replacement.”
The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) had scheduled an emergency session for Thursday at 1 p.m. to address Yokeley’s arrest but canceled it following receipt of his resignation letter.
In the letter, which was addressed to Boliek, Yokeley wrote his resignation was effective immediately and that “this decision has not been made lightly.”
“After much prayer, thoughtful reflection and consultation, I have concluded that it’s in the best interest of the State Board of Elections and Surry County Board of Elections, regarding my own falsely accused circumstances, to step down at this time,” Yokeley wrote. “Based on the truth and facts, I remain prayerfully confident that I will be exonerated of all accusations levied against me.”
