After what the Anson County Board of Elections described as years of election administration failures, the county board members have appointed a new director and deputy director of elections.
Neva Brody Helms’ appointment as director became official with an appointment letter from the director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Sam Hayes. A graduate of UNC-Charlotte and Appalachian State University, Helms has worked as a legislative assistant for her father, Rep. Mark Brody, R-Union.
According to a press release issued on Wednesday, Helms has experience in public administration, statutory compliance, and government operations, as well as familiarity with North Carolina election law and the legislative process.
Travis Wilson will join Helms as deputy director. He has a degree from East Carolina University and experience in voter outreach and public service, according to the release.
Anson County Board Chair Kelly Newton said the appointments reflect the Board’s “commitment to reform, accountability, and strict adherence to election law.”
“When I was appointed to this role, Auditor Dave Boliek challenged me and our Board to enhance voting integrity and restore public trust in Anson County elections,” Newton said in the release. “Today we take a major step toward those goals by establishing a culture rooted in voting security, compliance, fairness, accuracy, and integrity.”
Helms expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve.
“I am honored to accept this appointment, and I am committed to protecting the rights of all voters while strictly enforcing election law and procedures,” Helms said in the release. “Along with Deputy Director Wilson, we work to ensure that every voter in Anson County can participate in a process that is fair, secure, and transparent.”
Earlier this month, the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) voted 4-1 to allow the board to provide litigation assistance to the Anson County Board of Elections through private counsel as selected by the board’s executive director, Sam Hayes.
Republican members, including Chair Francis De Luca, Secretary Stacey “Four” Eggers IV, and Angela Hawkins, voted in favor, along with Democrat member Siobhan Millen. Democrat member Jeff Carmon was the lone no vote.
In April, the Anson County Board of Elections formally petitioned the NCSBE to remove then-county elections director, Sherry Melton. The board also recently voted to terminate the deputy director of elections.