Wake County GOP to challenge the registration of Clay Aiken, Chatham County resi

[chathambooks]

Claude E. Pope, Jr, Chairman of the Wake County Republican Party,Friday, filed a Notice of Challenge with the Wake County Board of Elections, challenging the right of Clayton H. "Clay" Aiken to remain registered to vote in Wake County.

“It has come to light that Mr. Aiken may have voted improperly in Wake County in 2009,” Pope said. “All citizens and all political parties have an interest in rooting out instances of voter fraud, and for that reason I have filed this challenge in order to prevent Mr. Aiken from any future attempts to vote in a place where he is not legally a resident.”

Aiken’s voting status came to public attention after he issued statements on his blog in which he called newly-elected members of the Wake School Board “selfish idiots,” but Pope said his action was not based on those comments. “This is America, and Clay Aiken and all other citizens have a First Amendment right to free speech. However unfair and repugnant it may be, he has a right to call any elected official names if he so wishes,” Pope said.

“Most North Carolinians, regardless of political affiliation, were proud of Aiken when he displayed his talent on ‘American Idol.’ I for one thought he represented our state very well, and I know I speak for many, many members of our party in saying so".

    The action I am taking today is not a criticism of his artistic ability, political views or intemperate language. It is simply an effort to make sure that in the future he votes where he actually lives, as all citizens are required to do.” Pope also stated that his Notice of Challenge does not request any punitive action against Aiken for having voted in Wake County in 2009. We are only interested in correcting the rolls for the future,” he said.

Aiken, the popular recording artist and “American Idol” runner-up, remains on the voting rolls at his mother’s address, 8608 Langtree Lane, which is located in Precinct 08-05 in Raleigh.

Records show he voted in that precinct in person in the municipal election of October 6, 2009. But Aiken lives in a $2.3 million home in Chatham County, which he purchased through a trust in 2006, and not with his mother, Faye Parker, who was quoted in the News & Observer as saying “her son doesn't live with her although she still gets some of his mail.”

According to a document entitled “Residency for Election Purposes,” a summary of the law issued in September of this year by the State Board of Elections,

    “If a person removes to another state or county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district within this State, with the intention of remaining there an indefinite time and making that state, county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district that person's place of residence, that person shall be considered to have lost that person's place of residence in this State, county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district from which that person has removed…” --GS § 163-57 (5).

[Silk_Hope]

I didn't know Clay Aiken lived in Chatham.

[Muddylaces]

I didn't know Clay Aiken lived in Chatham.

He posts under the name Beel.
 

[Beel]

If I were Mr. Aiken, I'd sell my gazillion dollar house and move to France, where I'd immediately start taking French lessons so I could do more that buy coffee, stamps, beer, and cigarettes (which I've long quit smoking).  I think the GOP ought to be nicer to Mr. Aiken tho--he's in the income bracket that's mainly Republican, and there's always another election and another fundraiser. 

[natvrabit]

I didn't know Clay Aiken lived in Chatham.

Me either until had some tourists from FL. stop in one day (where I work at my fun post retired job) in full Clay fan club garb, hunting for his house for a "ride by". I didn't have a clue  If they return I will tell them to check with the local GOP/or school board (bored?) turning up rocks for the hunt

[Greg Stafford]

If I were Mr. Aiken, I'd sell my gazillion dollar house and move to France, where I'd immediately start taking French lessons so I could do more that buy coffee, stamps, beer, and cigarettes (which I've long quit smoking).  I think the GOP ought to be nicer to Mr. Aiken tho--he's in the income bracket that's mainly Republican, and there's always another election and another fundraiser. 

Mostly Republican? Not in 2008.

[Everett McGill]

I didn't know Clay Aiken lived in Chatham.

The Hills of Rosemont is in Chatham Co with a Durham address, not Chapel Hill:

Community Info:  http://www.therealestateco.com/rosemont_communityinfo.htm

[checkthefacts]

    “If a person removes to another state or county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district within this State, with the intention of remaining there an indefinite time and making that state, county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district that person's place of residence, that person shall be considered to have lost that person's place of residence in this State, county, municipality, precinct, ward, or other election district from which that person has removed…” --GS § 163-57 (5).

Sort of like Bunkey Morgan a few years back ... only reversed 

[Beel]

Seems pretty much exactly like Bunkey, except Mr. Aiken wasn't running for anything.  The Bunkey address problem allowed Bunkey to run in a particular district, which was to his political advantage.  What's Mr. Aiken's advantage?  Probably nothing.  He just didn't get around to going to change his permanent address, which isn't too weird given he's a busy person.  And Mr. Aiken can still criticize Wake County politicians all he wants, no matter where he votes. 

[peacefulcapitalist]

Claude E. Pope, Jr, Chairman of the Wake County Republican Party,Friday,

Is he the son of Claude E. Pope, who was Jim Martin's commerce secretary for a time?

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/sessions/1989/bills/senate/pdf/s1319v1.pdf

Interesting.  His name is on US 1 south going out of Cary.

But I got no problem with this particular challenge, Aiken publicly drew attention to himself and his vote, and it looks like it's pretty obviously apparent that he doesn't live where he's registered.

However it is pretty funny listening to Pope say it's got nothing to do with his views.  Suuuure.  Like we're supposed to believe that Pope would be challenging Aiken's registration if he had blogged about what great guys the new Wake County school board is.  I believe that.... 

[NC YIPPIE]

yes, I like how they pretend that it is 'just a coincidence' that they happened to check his voter registration.

I don't see it as much of an issue unless he also voted in Chatham, as I imagine many folks are guilty of this kind of thing. It's wrong, but it happens all the time.

[artymarty]

yes, I like how they pretend that it is 'just a coincidence' that they happened to check his voter registration.

I don't see it as much of an issue unless he also voted in Chatham, as I imagine many folks are guilty of this kind of thing. It's wrong, but it happens all the time.

it's a huge issue if he voted in local races that he was not entitled to vote in.  A fraudulent vote dilutes the votes of all those who voted legitimately, and thereby infringes on their rights to representation selected by their NEIGHBORS, not someone who live in the next county.  It is an important issue and should ALWAYS be pursued/put right.

[belle]

yes, I like how they pretend that it is 'just a coincidence' that they happened to check his voter registration.

I don't see it as much of an issue unless he also voted in Chatham, as I imagine many folks are guilty of this kind of thing. It's wrong, but it happens all the time.

it's a huge issue if he voted in local races that he was not entitled to vote in.  A fraudulent vote dilutes the votes of all those who voted legitimately, and thereby infringes on their rights to representation selected by their NEIGHBORS, not someone who live in the next county.  It is an important issue and should ALWAYS be pursued/put right.

he said he kept his registration at his mother's so he could someday send his kid to Wake County Schools, hence his interest in the election. I guess he blew that chance, too. if N. Chatham Elementary doesn't suit him, he'll have to move, or pay tuition.

[RJLeeb]

If I were Mr. Aiken, I'd sell my gazillion dollar house and move to France, where I'd immediately start taking French lessons so I could do more that buy coffee, stamps, beer, and cigarettes (which I've long quit smoking).

Why am I not surprised you'd more to France?

Here's the first couple sentences you should learn:

Je suis un socialiste aussi. Dirigez-moi s'il vous plaît vers les crêpes et la santé publique gouvernementale?

[artymarty]

yes, I like how they pretend that it is 'just a coincidence' that they happened to check his voter registration.

I don't see it as much of an issue unless he also voted in Chatham, as I imagine many folks are guilty of this kind of thing. It's wrong, but it happens all the time.

it's a huge issue if he voted in local races that he was not entitled to vote in.  A fraudulent vote dilutes the votes of all those who voted legitimately, and thereby infringes on their rights to representation selected by their NEIGHBORS, not someone who live in the next county.  It is an important issue and should ALWAYS be pursued/put right.

he said he kept his registration at his mother's so he could someday send his kid to Wake County Schools, hence his interest in the election. I guess he blew that chance, too. if N. Chatham Elementary doesn't suit him, he'll have to move, or pay tuition.

an even bigger problem if he wants to defraud the Wake County school system.

There are plenty of nice places to live in Wake if you want to vote and send your kids to school there.  Mr Aiken is famous but he shouldn't be above the laws regarding these things and I'm glad the GOP has called him out on it.

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