SLED investigating former Beaufort Co. councilman who lived and voted in another state
Gerald “Jerry” Stewart, the former Beaufort County Council vice chairman who lived and voted in another state during his term on council, is under criminal investigation, Tommy Crosby, spokesperson for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, said Thursday.
In early October, The Island Packet & Beaufort Gazette reported that Stewart, who served three terms on county council — from 2007 through 2018 — voted on important county issues, and in a South Carolina primary, despite residing in North Carolina.
The newspaper also reported that Stewart was registered to vote in both states — a violation of N.C. law — and had Beaufort County Council payments addressed to his N.C. home.
After the story published, several residents, including another former council member, contacted 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone and requested a criminal investigation into Stewart’s residency, questioning the legitimacy of his council votes. Stone said he forwarded the information from the story to the “appropriate people.”
Crosby confirmed Thursday that SLED had opened an investigation of Stewart but said he couldn’t release any other information because it is an ongoing investigation. Crosby declined to say when SLED started the investigation or what was being investigated.
S.C. state law requires council members to register to vote and reside in the county or district they’re elected to serve. The S.C. Constitution states that a person can’t be elected to, or serve in, any office in the state unless he or she has the qualifications of a voter. To register to vote in N.C., voters must be residents of the state for at least 30 days prior to Election Day and must rescind their voter registration in any other states or counties. Stewart was registered in both states until The Island Packet & Beaufort Gazette published a story about it on Oct. 22. The S.C. Election Commission no longer shows Stewart as an active voter in S.C.
Stewart held prominent voting power during his time on council and served as chairman of the county’s finance and executive committees. On the night of his last county council meeting on Dec. 10, he recused himself due to “questions raised with respect to (his) residency in Beaufort County.” He said although he has “numerous ties to the county in the form of having doctors here, legal advisors, investment advisors” and property, his lease in the county “was cut short.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2019 at 4:50 AM.
