ROCKINGHAM — All five members of the Richmond County Board of Elections were sworn in at noon Tuesday, including new member Randy Benton.
Benton has been a precinct official since 2012 and had expressed interest in joining the board, according to Elections Director Connie Kelly.
His name was submitted by Richmond County Republican Party Chairman Jerry Austin to replace A.B. Brown, who recently moved to Florida.
Benton, along with Ernie Walters, are the two Republican members of the board. Chairman Carlton Hawkins, Hazel Robinson and Hilda Pemberton are Democrats.
After being sworn in by Richmond County Clerk of Superior Court Vickie Daniel, the board made two decisions regarding voting in Dobbins Heights.
According to Kelly, the board approved to move the precinct location to the Dobbins Heights Community Center for the town’s municipal election on Oct. 5.
The board also approved the use of the Board of Elections Office, at 221 S. Hancock St., for the town’s early voting instead of the Cooperative Extension office, Kelly said.
Early voting for the Rockingham, Hamlet, Ellerbe and Hoffman elections will be held at the Cooperative Extension.
