‘We’re not silencing her.’ Beaufort Election Commission member fired. Here’s why
The Beaufort City Council removed a member from its Elections Commission Tuesday for organizing partisan political activities while serving on the nonpartisan board in charge of certifying the city’s municipal elections and assisting at polling places. State law mandates that members keep their distance from politics.
Helen Spalding, appointed in February to a six-year term, helped to organize the “Audit the SC 2020 Vote Rally” in Beaufort Aug. 30. That rally sought to “#FightBack” and audit the results of the 2020 presidential election. Spalding also helped to organize a second political rally for Republicans Sept. 7.
Spalding, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, said on YouTube in May that the election for president was stolen.
After learning of Spalding’s role in organizing the political events, council members expressed concern and said they would discuss the issue at their next meeting, which came Tuesday.
Councilman Neil Lipsitz made a motion to remove Spalding from the commission, and it passed 5-0.
Municipal election commission members cannot participate in political management or in a political campaign over whose election the member has jurisdiction, City Attorney William Harvey said. That includes local, state or federal elections, Harvey said.
Harvey deemed the Aug. 30 and Sept. 7 rallies organized by Spalding as “political management,” which violates state law, he said.
Said Mayor Stephen Murray: “I wholeheartedly agree.”
Spalding, who did not return a telephone call Tuesday evening seeking comment, did not attend the meeting. Harvey said Murray had spoken to her about the situation twice.
During a work session prior to their regular meeting, when council members were interviewing candidates for the Tourism Development Advisory Committee, Murray jokingly asked them whether they were planning to host an event to “undermine Democracy.”
“Had to ask,” Murray said.
Harvey said it was the first time in his 10 years as city attorney that the City Council had removed a member it had previously appointed to a city board or commission.
Spalding has the right to be involved in political activities, Harvey said, but she can’t serve on the Elections Commission at the same time.
“We’re not silencing her,” Harvey said after the meeting. “We’re just saying you can’t do both.”
Harvey said he reviewed videos and advertisements of the events. At one, pro-Trump attorney L. Lin Wood thanked Spalding for organizing the event, Harvey said. An advertisement for one of the events noted it was “by My SCGOP and Helen Pappas Spalding.”
This is not a First Amendment speech issue, Harvey said, but rather an application of state law.
“It’s just that state statute prohibits certain conduct by a member of the Elections Commission,” Harvey said.
Council members first talked about the case privately, in executive session, with Harvey. The vote to remove Spalding came after they reopened the meeting to the public.
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 9:52 AM.
