Petition filed to remove New Hanover County elections director DeNay Harris
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A day after speaking out about her future, New Hanover County elections director DeNay Harris is one step closer to being removed from the position.
According to a source close to the investigation, a petition to remove her from office was signed by all five members of the county Board of Elections. With the matter being so urgent, the petition was driven to Raleigh on Wednesday and delivered to the state Board of Elections.
On Monday, County Board of Elections Chair Jamie Getty announced that Harris would remain on non-disciplinary administrative leave with pay, pending review.
Harris, who has only been on the job since early February, told WWAY she has had friction with members of county staff, including Lisa Wurtzbacher, Crystal Whittaker, and county manager Chris Coudriet, who exchanged heated emails with Harris about access to election buildings.
Additionally, new court documents revealed today show Harris’s landlord filed a complaint for $6,000 in unpaid rent.
But court papers indicate she paid the full amount last week.
This dispute was occurring during election season, a move and transition she said was very stressful for her and her family.
“For me to pick up my school-age children,” Harris said. “You know, they’re not babies. I have a 16-year-old daughter, a 13-year-old daughter, and a 7-year-old son. Leaving my college-age students in Virginia and coming down here was a big deal.”
When asked if the move and the eviction process were a distraction on the job, she told WWAY, “That doesn’t have anything to do with elections. I’ve been in elections for a long time. I’ve had a family for a long time. My oldest is 23 years old. Work is not going to distract me from my family, and family is not going to distract me from my job.”
Harris added she knows nothing about the petition, which begins the process of removing her from her position.
The source said Harris will have 15 days to respond once the state sends her a copy of the petition, but the entire process could take up to 55 days to be completed.
