Board of Elections Chairman Raymond Williams initiated a board meeting on Friday, urging members to observe etiquette and respect one another. It did not work.
The meeting sometimes devolved into shouting matches and occasional name-calling. Williams himself received some of the name-calling. He was called “nasty” and “disrespectful” in the messages on the Team platform.
Supervisor of Elections Caroline Fawkes, who said nothing at the meeting except to announce her presence, was accused of violating the law.
The board even had a hard time getting a vote to adjourn. In the end, the second vote on adjournment received a narrow victory with a vote of six to five.
Was Fawkes allowed to determine the particulars of the elections, or was she usurping the board’s power in violation of the law? This was the question.
Board member Barbara LaRonde repeatedly said, “We don’t want to change anything. We want to know if there was a violation of the law.” She added that if there were violations of the law, there should be consequences.
A letter from board member Cleopatra Peter to Sen. Kenneth Gittens requesting clarification on the latest legislation concerning the election system was read into the record. Gittens’ response was also read into the record. He wrote, “The legislation clearly reflects a shift toward a ‘Single Board of Elections’ and eliminates references to the ‘Joint Boards of Elections.’” This change consolidates authority under one central body, with the Supervisor of Elections holding the responsibility for overseeing day-to-day operations, even during election cycles and on Election Day.”
This response appeared to satisfy no one on the board.
Peter said she also wrote to Attorney General Gordon Rhea, seeking clarification on the issue, but received no response.
After much discussion, it was moved and approved that the board send a request for the attorney general or a representative from his office to attend a meeting with the board and Fawkes to determine who has what responsibility.
LaRonde said Williams was being disrespectful and not allowing her to ask her questions or continue her remarks.
Williams said she was trying to dominate the meeting and using “excessive time” when making her points.
She accused Williams of not listening to her.
The animosity between the board and the supervisor has been going on for several months. Fawkes had a lawsuit against the board after the board allowed Ida Smith to be on the ballot for Delegate to Congress, despite Fawkes having disqualified her. Fawkes lost the suit in Superior Court last November.
In a December meeting, members of the board tried to dismiss or reprimand Fawkes. Each effort failed to pass by a 5-6 vote.
Williams was elected chairman of the board in January. LaRonde had put forward Peter as a candidate for chairperson at that meeting.
