Wheeler Is a Senior Fellow for Election Integrity for the Virginia Institute for Public Policy. According to its website, Wheeler is a Senior Fellow for Election Integrity for the Virginia Institute for Public Policy. [Virginia Institute for Public Policy, Accessed 6/13/23]
2017: Wheeler Faced Calls to Resign From the State Board of Elections After Claiming That ‘Well Orchestrated’ Voter Fraud ‘Happens Everyday.’ According to a press release from the Democratic Party of Virginia in 2017, Wheeler faced calls to resign from the State Board of Elections after she claimed that “well orchestrated” voter fraud “happens everyday.” [Democratic Party of Virginia, 9/15/17]
Wheeler in 2017: ‘It’s Not Who Votes That Counts … It’s Who Counts the Votes.’ According to a 2017 press release from the DPVA, Wheeler said in 2017, “It’s not who votes that counts … It’s who counts the votes.” [Democratic Party of Virginia, 9/15/17]
Wheeler Led an Investigation Into Voter Fraud in Albemarle County in 2012. According to C-Ville, Wheeler led an investigation into voter fraud in Albemarle County. C-Ville wrote, “vocal Tea Party activist and Board secretary Dr. Clara Belle Wheeler said it’s a necessary step toward avoiding voter fraud—something many Democrats say is a non-issue—ahead of the November elections.” [C-Ville, 8/22/12]
Wheeler Led a 2-Hour Training Seminar at a Conference in Virginia Organized by Trump Allies Who Spearheaded the Efforts to Overturn the 2020 Election. According to ABC News, Wheeler led a 2-hour training seminar at an election denier conference in Virginia in 2022. ABC News wrote, “In late April, after a year and a half of former President Donald Trump and his associates pushing false claims of election fraud, a few hundred attendees gathered at a golf resort in Williamsburg, Virginia, for an ‘Election Integrity Summit’ organized by Trump allies who were at the forefront of his effort to overturn the 2020 election.” ABC continued, “The Virginia summit attended by ABC News in late April began with a two-hour ‘Poll Watcher & Election Officer Training Workshop’ led by Clara Belle Wheeler from the conservative group Virginia Fair Elections. ‘It takes an army,’ Wheeler told the group gathered for the first session of the summit, urging attendees to become poll watchers or election officers ahead of the midterms, and then walking attendees through the process of how to register to volunteer.” The conference also hosted a viewing of a movie titled “Rigged: The Zuckerberg Funded Plot to Defeat Donald Trump,” which alleges that Mark Zuckerberg helped steal the 2020 Election away from Trump. [ABC News, 6/13/22]
Clara Belle Wheeler Led Poll Watcher and Election Officer Trainings Hosted by Virginia Fair Elections Coalition “to Provide Practical Training for Election Integrity Task Force Leaders and Volunteers.” “The Virginia Fair Elections (VFE) Coalition is hosting Poll Watcher and Election Officer trainings, repeated every Tuesday at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Our goal is to continue to provide practical training for election integrity task force leaders and volunteers. This training series will be conducted by Dr. Clara Belle Wheeler.” [Virginians For America First, accessed 8/10/23]
While Training Republican Party Representatives, Wheeler Fielded Calls From Voters in Need of Help in the Lead Up to the 2022 Midterm Elections. According to Albemarle Election Board minutes, while training Republican Party representatives, Wheeler fielded calls from voters in need of help in the lead up to the 2022 midterm elections. At the time, Wheeler also served as a representative of the Electoral Board. [Albemarle County Electoral Board, 10/5/22]
Wheeler Criticized the Electronic Registration Information Center, a Nonpartisan Registration Organization, Claiming That Its Founder Was Connected to George Soros. In a 2022 podcast appearance on WINA, Wheeler criticized the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a nonpartisan voter registration organization, claiming that its founder, David Becker, was connected to George Soros. Wheeler said, “The founding organization was headed by a man named David Becker [...] who has very interesting associations over the years. The funding for the original foundation of ERIC came with a $725,000 grant from the PEW Center and from — hold it — George Soros.” [WINA, 5/17/23]
Virginia Left ERIC ‘Amid Fringe Conservative Media Reports and Conspiracy Theories Attempting to Connect the Group to Liberal Donors and Activists.’ According to NPR, Virginia left ERIC, which was a “widely trusted, bipartisan effort” to share voter information, “amid fringe conservative media reports and conspiracy theories attempting to connect the group to liberal donors and activists.” Virginia initially joined ERIC in 2012 under Republican Governor Bob McDonnell. [NPR, 5/11/23]