Former State Board of Elections Chairman Josh Howard says there could be dire consequences for future elections if the governor is allowed to appoint a judge to a newly created Wake County District Court seat. The top vote getter, a Democrat, was declared ineligible because he did not live in the district and knowingly filed for the seat anyway.
“I don’t know why the governor’s party would not just run anybody from anywhere just to gum up the election, so the governor could make the appointment, leaving the voters high and dry,” said Howard, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Beth Tanner, a Republican. Tanner came in second in the vote tally but received the most votes of the qualified candidates.