The Beaufort County Board of Elections has dismissed Belhaven Mayor Adam O’Neal’s complaint against three poll workers.

The board scheduled an emergency meeting for 6 p.m. today to discuss the complaint filed Thursday afternoon by O’Neal. In the complaint, O’Neal alleges that three poll workers – Karen Fisher, Jimmie Southerland and Diana Lambeth – have been openly supporting the candidates running in opposition to him and other council candidates.

“These three people will not conduct a fair and impartial voting station and I would respectfully ask for their removal from working the polls,” the complaint read.

In order to become a precinct official, a person must be a registered voter, a resident of Beaufort County, must not be an elected government official, must not be a manager or treasurer for any candidate or political party and must not be running in the election, according the the Board of Elections website.

Southerland was appointed as a chief judge in the Belhaven precinct, which means she is involved in performing election day activities and organizing elections supplies. Lambeth was appointed as a judge, which means she will work closely with Southerland and take charge in the absence of the chief judge. Fisher was appointed as an assistant in the Belhaven precinct, a position that serves as the discretion of the chief judge.

Karen Fisher said in an interview yesterday that she received the proper training to be a poll worker and understands she is required to perform her duties in a non-partisan manner. Southerland and Lambeth could not be reached for comment.

At the meeting, board chairman Jay McRoy said the complaint was filed out of fear of misconduct, and there was no evidence to suggest the three workers would not perform their duties correctly.

“I’ve looked at your allegations, and keep in mind, these precinct officials have yet to work at the polls,” he said. “We have three precinct judges at the Belhaven precinct that constantly look over each other’s shoulders.”

The board also dismissed the claim because of O’Neal’s failure to file the complaint three days before the meeting, as per state law.

McRoy said the board was already considering sending a Board of Elections employee to the Belhaven precinct to help with the work load, but after the complaint, he said this worker will be present and would help send a message of fair, nonpartisan polling locations.

After the meeting, O’Neal verbally reprimanded the board, and specifically Director Kellie Hopkins, regarding the complaint’s dismissal. He alleged that Hopkins had not informed him of the three-day rule and that he had completed all of the stipulations given to him by her, including notarization and providing witnesses.

Hopkins said she did tell O’Neal to meet certain criteria, which led to multiple copies of the complaint being sent to her before it reached the board.

“I would like the board to know that that conversation did happen. … Mr. O’Neal verbally just let me have it over telling him he had to do it over again. I will take an oath that I was trying to help him with this,” she said. “He thought I was making him do excessive amounts of work.”

O’Neal left the meeting angrily, and according to witness reports, continued a verbal tirade outside of the board office. But the board did not waver in their decision and saw no problem with Hopkins’ conduct.