Former New Hanover County Elections Director petitions to get her job back

WAKE COUNTY (WWAY) — Denay Harris, who was fired from her position as the New Hanover County Board of Elections Director, has filed an appeal to throw out her termination by the state.

In the court filing in Wake County Superior Court, Harris accuses officials with the county Election Board of acting against state law and bypassing her authority and claimed it was an “abuse of discretion.”

The filing details she is seeking $25,000 in damages, an overturning of the termination decision to be reinstated as elections director, back pay, and front pay for future wages if reinstatement is not immediately available.

Harris makes multiple claims of why the county Board of Elections terminated her, including a failure to challenge the ballot of deceased voters, false allegations of email tampering, failure to implement the transition plan, escalation of facility access issues, prior criminal conviction.

Eric Navagh was appointed into the role of Elections Director earlier this month after the State Board voted to end Harris’ employment after all five members of the New Hanover County Board of Elections petitioned for her removal earlier this year. Harris’ employment officially ended on June 9.