Steve Jordan’s candidacy voided; status on town board unresolved
Vote
Editor's note – This article has been updated compared to the print and e-editions of the Cherokee Scout to correct how board of elections members voted.
Murphy – The Cherokee County Board of Elections voted 4-1 against Andrews Alderman Steve Jordan’s candidacy qualification in a hearing Thursday morning at the Cherokee County Courthouse.
The board deliberated before a small audience for an hour and a half with a roll call vote against Jordan’s proof of his eligibility for candidacy for re-election. The hearing lasted three hours.
Led by county attorney Darryl Brown, the hearing included testimony by Alderman James Mclean, who challenged Jordan’s residency qualifications, and Jordan. Each side presented evidence, made statements and were questioned by each other as well as board members.
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Jordan, who did not have a lawyer, provided documentation, including personal bank and federal tax statements, with the address of 116 Graham St. However, Mclean contended that Jordan lives in another house outside the town limits.
Because the information Jordan provided was of a personal and identifying nature, Brown concluded that those records entered into evidence would be sealed and not a matter of public record.
Jordan testified that his stepdaughter resides at the address as well, and that he works out of town several days and weeks at a time. But he insisted that it was his primary residence.
He also attested to his more than 20 years of service both on the Andrews Board of Alderman and his working to make Andrews “a better place.”
In his testimony, Mclean said he did not believe Jordan resided at the address even part time, as he rarely if ever saw Jordan’s vehicle at the property during his visits to neighbors of Jordan.
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Mclean called two witnesses, Andrews Mayor James Reid and Joe Freeman, a neighbor residing at 119 Graham St., to testify as to Jordan’s not living full time at his residence.
Reid testified that he didn’t think Jordan was willfully “doing anything illegal” about maintaining Graham Street as his residence, but that he had been on the board so long that many people were willing to overlook Jordan’s not living inside the town limits. Reid said he had approached Jordan about annexing the property where he actually lives.
Freeman testified that he had only seen Jordan’s vehicle at the 116 Graham St. property during the previous three weeks, which is when Mclean filed his challenge.
The board also called elections Director Leighsa Jones to provide Jordan’s voter registration records, which indicated two changes from its original date of 1994. Those changes were a street number change from 12 Graham St. to 116 Graham, possibly when 911 address changes went into effect, according to Jones; and a change of party affiliation noted in August 2018.
After deliberating, the board decided that Jordan had not sufficiently proven his residency at 116 Graham St. to be qualified as a candidate for this year’s election. N.C. General Statute 163-57 specifies that a residence is synonymous with domicile and “to which, whenever that person is absent, that person has the intention of returning. …”
The board’s vote was Bill Bateman in favor of Jordan, with Lance Bristol, Chuck Hoesch, Shelly Debty and Sandy Solesbee voting against.
Following the decision, Mclean said, “When I was elected, I promised to play by the rules and make sure everything was above board. This battle shouldn’t even have to have been my fight. The previous board should have already addressed it. I just want a level playing field, where everyone plays by the same rules.”
Reid added, “So I think at the end of the day our takeaway from this is that if we’re gonna serve the people, then we have to do it in the guidelines that we set forth. We can’t bend the rules or change the rules.”
Brown said he would work up the concluding paperwork, including the board’s findings of law and fact. Jordan could not be reached for comment.
It is unclear what steps the Andrews Board of Aldermen will take about Jordan’s current term in office.
Jordan was running for re-election and among five candidates competing for two seats on the board, his and Alderman Brandi Smith’s. Smith is running for mayor against Reid, so both alderman seats will be filled by non-incumbents who are running – Rex Cable, Heath Woodard, former alderman Gary James and Chasity Ledford.
McLean was elected as a newcomer to the board in 2023 for a four-year term and is not on this year’s ballot.