Note: Since Grant Pelton goes by “Randy,” we have referred to him as such below.
Republican Randy Pelton Was A Member Of The 2024 Brunswick County Board Of Elections. [Brunswick County Board of Elections, accessed 6/7/24]
Randy Pelton Sponsored A Resolution Calling On The Brunswick County Board Of Elections To Terminate Its Membership In The U.S. Alliance For Election Excellence. “The Brunswick County Board of Elections voted 3-2 during its Tuesday, April 18 meeting to retain its membership in the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence. The vote comes after county commissioners last month adopted a resolution urging the board to terminate the membership. [...] The Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, which is made up entirely of Republicans, adopted a resolution during their March 20 meeting, introduced by Commissioner Frank Williams, banning private money in county elections and ‘strongly encourage[d] the Brunswick County Board of Elections to terminate its membership in the Alliance.’ [...] A resolution was presented during the March 21 Board of Elections meeting by member Randy Pelton, a Republican, calling for the board to comply with the commissioners’ resolution and terminate membership in the Alliance. The vote on that resolution was pushed back to the April 18 meeting.” [Brunswick Beacon, 4/29/23]
Randy Pelton: “I Think What We Have Is That Republicans Are Very Concerned About Outside Influence And Democrats Either Aren’t Concerned Or Hope That The Republicans Are Correct.” “The board then took a subsequent vote, also passing 3-2, committing to remain a member of the alliance for the duration of its agreement, ending January 2024. The U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, which funnels election process improvement resources and networking opportunities to local election offices across the nation, is nonpartisan. Yet, Brunswick commissioners, all Republican, claimed the group’s indirect ties to Mark Zuckerberg and other liberal tech billionaires compromised the office’s reputation and opened the election process up to liberal influence. The commissioners’ resolution was sent to the board of elections, which met the day after the resolution was passed on March 20. Though Republican board member Randy Pelton suggested the board comply with the commissioners’ request, the ultimate decision was to table the discussion. Pelton’s stance hadn’t changed, however, by Tuesday’s meeting. ‘I think what we have is that Republicans are very concerned about outside influence and Democrats either aren’t concerned or hope that the Republicans are correct,’ Pelton said. ‘I think if we do not eliminate this agreement, we’re going to continue to have concerns in Brunswick County about our election and our credibility.’” [Port City Daily, 4/22/23] NOTE: Both Stuart Smith and Randy Pelton were quoted as saying “I think if we do not eliminate this agreement, we're going to continue to have concerns in Brunswick County about our election and our credibility” by separate news sources. It is not clear who the quote should be attributed to.
Randy Pelton: “I Think If We Do Not Eliminate This Agreement, We’re Going To Continue To Have Concerns In Brunswick County About Our Election And Our Credibility.” “The board then took a subsequent vote, also passing 3-2, committing to remain a member of the alliance for the duration of its agreement, ending January 2024. The U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, which funnels election process improvement resources and networking opportunities to local election offices across the nation, is nonpartisan. Yet, Brunswick commissioners, all Republican, claimed the group’s indirect ties to Mark Zuckerberg and other liberal tech billionaires compromised the office’s reputation and opened the election process up to liberal influence. The commissioners’ resolution was sent to the board of elections, which met the day after the resolution was passed on March 20. Though Republican board member Randy Pelton suggested the board comply with the commissioners’ request, the ultimate decision was to table the discussion. Pelton’s stance hadn’t changed, however, by Tuesday’s meeting. ‘I think what we have is that Republicans are very concerned about outside influence and Democrats either aren’t concerned or hope that the Republicans are correct,’ Pelton said. ‘I think if we do not eliminate this agreement, we’re going to continue to have concerns in Brunswick County about our election and our credibility.’” [Port City Daily, 4/22/23]
2022: Randy Pelton Voted Against Sunday Voting. “Republican members of the Brunswick County Board of Elections (BOE) voted last night (Tuesday, 7-19) to end Sunday voting in the County for the upcoming November elections. The County offered one Sunday for early voting in 2018, and two in 2020. Even though six persons spoke in favor of Sunday voting and no one spoke against it, the subsequent motion to have early voting include two Sundays (from 12 pm to 4 pm), in addition to two Saturdays (from 9 am to 3 pm), was opposed by the Republican BOE members. Neither championed even one day of Sunday voting. Members Randy Pelton and Stuart Smith opposed the motion; the three Democratic members, Boyd Williamson, Paula Clarity and Ed Lewis, voted in favor. BOE rules require a unanimous vote to pass; otherwise, the two sides each send a proposed early voting schedule to the State Board of Elections, which makes a final decision.” [Brunswick County Democrats Press Release, 7/22/22]
2018: Randy Pelton Voted Against A Voting Plan That Included Sunday Voting. “The State Board of Elections will decide if Brunswick County will offer voting on a Sunday during early voting for the Nov. 6 general election. Sunday voting has been proposed but denied in previous general election years when county elections board members Stuart Smith and Randy Pelton outvoted Boyd Williamson. Now that the board has four members, the vote on Sunday early voting hours was split 2-2 on two one-stop voting schedule proposals at the June 19 regular meeting. Elections director Sara Knotts offered the board two proposals for early voting dates beginning Oct. 18 and ending Nov. 3, with either Sunday hours on Oct. 28 or no Sunday hours. Carolyn Ferguson, the newest the elections board member, made a motion to include early voting from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 28 at three locations. Ferguson and board chairman Williamson voted in favor of Sunday early voting with Pelton and Smith opposed.” [Brunswick Beacon, 6/20/18]
2016: Randy Pelton Voted Against Sunday Voting, Saying, “In The Past I Have Opposed Sunday Voting And I Still Am. Even If We Approved Sunday Voting, There's No Guarantee It Would Be Approved By The State.” “The Brunswick County elections board has decided on an early voting schedule for the November general election, but won't offer any Sunday hours to voters. It was an issue the three-man board couldn't agree on, voting 2-1 during its meeting Monday, June 20, on a plan that avoided Sunday hours. Of the three voting schedules the board considered, one proposed opening the polls from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 30 only at the voting location at the Brunswick County complex in Bolivia. Board secretary Boyd Williamson advocated opening voting locations for one Sunday this fall while chairman Stuart Smith and board member Randy Pelton couldn't be swayed to try Sunday voting for the first time in Brunswick County. ‘I just don't get it. Why are we scared of (adding) voting for four hours on Sunday?’ Williamson asked. ‘In the past I have opposed Sunday voting and I still am,’ Pelton said. ‘Even if we approved Sunday voting, there's no guarantee it would be approved by the state.’” [Brunswick Beacon, 6/21/16]
After Two Republicans Resigned From The State Board Of Elections, Randy Pelton Said The Board Was Not Serving “In The Best Interests Of The Public.” “Pelton requested a written plan to be presented at the next board of elections meeting for the board's approval. Referring to confusion on the state level concerning absentee ballots with incorrect or missing information, Pelton told the board he felt it was critical due to ongoing litigation. Arguing the state board now lacks any Republican representatives and is not serving in the ‘best interests of the public,’ Pelton said he wanted ‘to guard the voting privilege of Brunswick County voters and ensure every legitimate vote is counted.’ Pelton's reference involves the Sept. 23 resignation of state elections board members Ken Raymond and David Black, both Republicans, in response to the alliance's lawsuit.” [Brunswick Beacon, 10/7/20]
The Republican State Board Members Resigned In Response To The North Carolina Alliance For Retired Americans’ Lawsuit Claiming State Voting Laws “Unconstitutionally Burden The Right To Vote In Light Of The Current Health Crisis Caused By The Novel Coronavirus.” “The most recent of these state-released instructions is further muddled by a lawsuit filed in August by the North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans against the state board of elections. The alliance argues state laws relating to in-person and absentee-by-mail voting ‘unconstitutionally burden the right to vote in light of the current health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus,’ as stated in a copy of the lawsuit. [...] Arguing the state board now lacks any Republican representatives and is not serving in the ‘best interests of the public,’ Pelton said he wanted ‘to guard the voting privilege of Brunswick County voters and ensure every legitimate vote is counted.’ Pelton's reference involves the Sept. 23 resignation of state elections board members Ken Raymond and David Black, both Republicans, in response to the alliance's lawsuit.” [Brunswick Beacon, 10/7/20]
2020: Randy Pelton Voted Against Accepting 30 Military/Overseas Ballots. “During the Sept. 29 meeting, the board examined four ‘pending ballots’ — one returned by a family member (to the board of elections) not considered a ‘near relative.’ A fiancé, two nephews and one life partner reportedly delivered the ballots in question. After Pelton and other board members examined the absentee ballot return envelopes, the board accepted the ballots. In a 3-2 split, the board accepted 30 military/overseas ballots. Pelton and Smith cast the dissenting votes.” [Brunswick Beacon, 10/7/20]
May 2010: Randy Pelton Attended The Eastern N.C. Tea Party Summit, Saying, “In The Late 1960s And Early 1970s, The Anti-War Demonstrators' Slogan Was Question Everything. Now, It's Come Full Circle Because It's The Older, Conservative Generation Saying Question Everything.” “Know your rights and question public officials were the mantras of the day on Sunday as Americans for Prosperity wrapped up its three-day Eastern N.C. Tea Party Summit at the downtown Hilton Wilmington Riverside. About 200 people from as far away as Alamance and Currituck counties attended a five-hour Investigative and Citizen Journalism training session Sunday, learning how to file a Freedom of Information Act request, create a blog or investigate politicians. The training was intended to teach Americans how to answer their own questions instead of relying on public leaders or the media. [...] Randy Pelton drove from Ocean Isle Beach to the training because ‘in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the anti-war demonstrators' slogan was question everything. Now, it's come full circle because it's the older, conservative generation saying question everything. It's about returning power to the people.’” [Morning Star, 5/23/10]