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Andrews – After reconvening from closed session Thursday night, the Andrews Board of Alderman voted to remove longtime Alderman Steve Jordan from the board in a 2-1 vote.
Both Jordan and Mayor James Reid recused themselves from the vote. The motion was initially made by Alderman James Mclean and seconded by Alderman Ted Paul. The lone nay vote was Alderman Brandi Smith.
The vote comes after Mclean’s complaint filing and August’s hearing about Jordan’s legal residential address and his eligibility for candidacy in this year’s upcoming election. Jordan had been seeking re-election for another term on the board.
After the Cherokee County Board of Elections backed Mclean’s claims with their hearing verdict, Jordan appealed to the N.C. Board of Elections. Cherokee County Board of Elections Director Leighsa Jones said the state “affirmed our board of elections’ decision, and we received that on Friday [Sept. 12].”
Jones added that Jordan has until 5 p.m. Tuesday [Sept. 16] to further appeal at another level with the state, which will go through the State Court of Appeals. The decision of the Andrews board is “nothing in our jurisdiction or that has come from our office or the state’s.”
Jordan said last week that if denied, he would “let a judge decide in Raleigh.”
After being ousted from the board, Jordan said, “I was voted in by the people. I don’t think what they did they had the right to because I still have everything under appeal.”
Smith said she voted no to the ouster because of that appeal process.
“I do not think this should’ve been voted on because of the open appeal process. This shouldn’t have been considered until the final appeal is settled,” she said.
Reid expressed surprise at the motion, but said, “We had to vote on it.”