Meck. BOE dismisses allegations against District 41 Dem. candidate
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — With unanimous agreement, the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections voted to dismiss the allegations made against District 41 Democrat Candidate Caleb Theodros that he did not live in the district he will represent in Raleigh.
The decision came after more than an hour-long hearing on Tuesday, where his former challenger, Lucille Puckett, laid out why she believes he does not meet the state requirement for the position.
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“Every piece of evidence points to a deliberate attempt to circumvent the residency requirements,” she stressed to the board during her closing arguments.
The allegations were brought forth by Puckett, who came in second on the ballot back in March.
She said the evidence she obtained through a private investigator pointed to Theodros still living in District 40 along Chansonette Court.
Tuesday afternoon, she handed multiple documents to board members, which included a signed notice that an individual did live at the address on Chasonette Court, a copy of Theodros’ driver’s license, which still listed his Chasonette Ct. address, and a lease agreement for an apartment Theodros’ later claimed he lived at when he charged his voter registration address in late November.
When asked to produce a copy of his driver’s license with an updated address on it, Theodros said he did not have his DL with him.
He also could not remember if he changed the address on the DL to his new address.
“Mr. Caleb has failed to provide concrete proof of his residency domicile in District 41,” Puckett stressed to the board.
When asked if Puckett had photographic evidence of the District 41 candidate living at the Chansonette Ct. location, the challenger said she did not have that type of evidence.
Board Member Marry Potter Summa responded and said, “In the past, when we’ve had this, we have evidence of the person actually living at the residence.”
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In his response to the allegations, Theodros provided documentation of the full lease agreement at this new apartment, which began in late June.
He also provided statements for furniture and food delivery services to his new address in District 41.
He also explained and provided documentation, that his parents live at the address on Chansonette Ct. and have since 2005.
He responded and said, “The district was not drawn until about October. I moved in July, so even this idea that I moved for this purpose is incorrect.”
He also leveled allegations that he found a GPS on a vehicle registered to him and reported it to CMPD, who he said has been investigating the matter.
He asked Puckett, under oath, if she had knowledge of how it ended up there.
She denied ever knowing a tracker was placed on his vehicle, nor did she instruct her private investigator to do so.
She told Queen City News outside the Board of Elections office, “I’m trying to get our representatives to follow the law and for there to be transparency, why would I do something like that?”
Puckett has the ability to have the state appeal the ruling in Mecklenburg County.
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