Sex offender charged with illegal voting, to appear in federal court
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — James Osborne, the convicted sex offender who derailed Rick Southerland’s candidacy for the New Hanover County Board of Education, will appear in federal court on Tuesday, after being accused of illegally voting in multiple North Carolina counties.
Osborne faces two felony charges — making a false statement on a voter registration form and making false statements on a voter ballot — after authorities say he registered and voted in both Brunswick and New Hanover counties despite being ineligible.
Osborne faces up to 5 years in prison for each charge.
Osborne was previously sentenced in 2021 to 36 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography. He served his sentence in Virginia before relocating to North Carolina upon his release.
His association with Rick Southerland came to light just a day after this month’s primary election, with Southerland withdrawing his candidacy for the Board of Education a few days later, despite being one of the top vote-getters for the Democratic Party.
According to a federal complaint, Osborne cast a ballot during the 2024 election at Belville Elementary School, despite being prohibited from being near a school and barred from voting due to his prior felony conviction. Investigators say he later registered to vote in New Hanover County in 2025 and participated in early voting for this month’s primary election.
New Hanover County Board of Elections Chair Jamie Getty said the case highlights the importance of election laws and the severe consequences of violating them.
“We want to make sure that nobody votes who is not eligible, and we want people to understand that this is a law and they can be held accountable if they vote illegally,” Getty said.
Getty added that individuals who falsify their eligibility when registering or casting a ballot can face perjury charges, which carry the potential for jail time.
She also said an additional challenge in preventing these types of cases is the lack of a system to track convicted felons who have moved to North Carolina from other states and have registered to vote.
