Beech Tree News Network

Following a complaint filed with the Butler County Clerk on January 12, a precinct worker has been removed from working the polls in the North Second precinct.  The Butler County Board of Elections voted to replace Roger Givens as a precinct worker after Citizens For An Alcohol Free Butler County filed a complaint with the Butler County Clerk's office.  The complaint was signed by Bruce Jennings, chairperson of the committee.

Givens was one of three individuals who presented the local option petition to the county clerk's office, though he has no offical position in the citizens' group that conducted the petition drive - Citizens For A Better Butler County.

"Based on the apparent leadership role that Roger Givens has taken in the upcoming wet/dry vote, the Citizens For An Alcohol Free Butler County Committee would request he be removed as a precinct election official for the January 26 local option election vote," stated Jennings in the letter filed with the county clerk's office.  "Our assumption is based on Mr. Givens submitting the petitions to bring this measure to a vote.  "We are in no way questioning Mr. Givens integrity, but simply since he is a sponsor of the vote he is liken unto a candidate in an election under the election official guidelines."  

At a called meeting on Tuesday, January 19, the Butler County Board of Elections considered the issue and voted to remove Givens as an election worker for the North Second precinct.  Members of the Butler County Board of Elections are Sheriff Scottie Ward, Ann Scott Evans, Dallas Embry, and County Clerk Sherry Johnson.  According to County Clerk Sherry Johnson, the board voted to replace Givens for the wet/dry election on January 26, citing the authority to remove precinct workers under Kentucky statutes that govern the matter : 

Please click on the link below for additional information:  

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/statutes/statute.aspx?id=27350

Roger Givens, who was in attendance at the meeting, disagrees with the decision of the Board of Elections.  According to Givens, the board went into closed session to discuss the issue and "when they came out they immediately voted to relieve me of my duties for this election."  Givens said the meeting was then adjourned.  

"I think my removal as an election official demonstrates a lack of understanding of our voting processes on the part of those against the legal sale of alcohol," said Givens.  "There is no law against my serving and certainly no way I could change anyone's vote. I have served as an election judge in the past few elections without complaint and have always treated every voter with the same respect."

Jennings reiterated his position that Givens' integrity wasn't in question, but that his role in the turning in the petition might influence a voter.  

"Our committee does not question Mr. Givens' integrity or his past service as a precinct election official," said Jennings.  "We felt that since Mr. Givens was part of a team of three that turned in the qualifying petition to the clerk’s office, he had assumed a leadership role in their organization. We felt his presence at the voting station might influence a voter."  

Josh Hampton, spokesperson for Citizens For A Better Butler County, said the whole issue of Givens' status as a precinct worker is a testament to the pettiness that some have engaged in during this campaign.

"Although Mr. Givens was present when the petition was submitted, he is not an officer in our organization and he has no official leadership position with Citizens For A Better Butler County," said Hampton.  "These types of accusations are exactly why many members of our group and supporters of our cause choose to remain anonymous - they don't want to become a public target for the opposition."

Hampton said the removal of Givens sets a troubling precedent regarding precinct workers.

"If we remove election officers from every election who had ties to a local candidate, there would be no one to work the polls," said Hampton.  "Do you think there may be election officers working the polls on Tuesday who have a "NO" sign in their yard or have been speaking out on social media against the legal sale of alcohol in Butler County?  There's a good chance that's the case but we're not going to focus on that - we prefer to keep our attention squarely on ways to move Butler County forward."     

The local option election regarding the legal sale of alcohol in Butler County is set for Tuesday, January 26.  Polls are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.