South Carolina beach town asks state to investigate 2023 mayoral election fraud claims

The town administrator of Atlantic Beach, S.C., is asking the state law enforcement division to investigate voter fraud claims regarding the November 2023 mayoral election.

The town did not certify its election results in November, according to WMBF News. Councilman John David was declared the winner of the election, but Councilwoman Josephine Isom filed an election protest in which she claimed multiple voters who cast ballots did not live in the town.

Town Administrator Orton Bellamy told WMBF News on Wednesday that he had requested the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigate voter fraud claims on Aug. 22.

In April, the Atlantic Beach Election Commission found there were 13 fraudulent ballots and invalidated the November election.

The commission also called for a special mayoral election to be held between David and Isom, but Isom appealed the decision in county court, claiming she should be the winner based on the rejected ballots. The next hearing for her case, which is holding up the special election, is Sept. 18. David intervened in the case, arguing that Isom should not be declared the winner.

"This is a voting rights issue," said town resident Karen Bennett at a press conference on Tuesday. "It's a local issue, it's a national issue, and we have not been able to get justice for the voters in this town."