Onslow County man investigated for bragging about voting multiple times

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) – A viral post on Facebook turned into a voter fraud investigation by the State Board of Elections.

Onslow County resident Robert John Dougherty III recently posted on social media, claiming he had voted for other people.

The State Board of Elections received numerous complaints about the post. The SBE says Dougherty said in a sworn statement that he has never committed voter fraud and that the post was meant to be a joke shared between family and friends.

The SBE says Dougherty regretted that his post has gone viral.

(Photo: Facebook)

Board of Elections investigators reviewed voting records and interviewed several of Dougherty’s Facebook contacts who were named in the post.

The SBE says it found no evidence of voter fraud.

“We take very seriously all claims and allegations of voter fraud,” said Kimberly Westbrook Strach, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Anyone who indicates on social media or elsewhere that they have committed voter fraud or violated any other election law in North Carolina will be investigated, and if substantiated, referred to the appropriate District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.”

The SBE also said Dougherty apologized for causing extra work for elections staff.