Updated: The Horry County Sheriff's Office performed a "claim and delivery" on voting machines in Atlantic Beach Tuesday afternoon. Horry County made the claim in Judge Bradley Mayers court.
A claim and delivery is when someone makes a claim for an item from the court.
The county let Atlantic Beach use two voting machines for the November election, and the county said the town refused to return them.
"They've got the machines," said current Atlantic Beach Mayor Retha Pierce as the deputies took back the machines. "I told them to their face I don't want it tainted."
In emails with Horry County, Town Manager Bennie Webb told the county he believed the machines were "flawed and outdated."
The machines rendered the outcome of the November 2011 elections invalid and he would not relinquish the machines until a professional review of them was conducted, said Webb.
County spokesperson Lisa Bourcier said the county tried three times to physically take back the machines, but Atlantic Beach officials were not at the town's office. Bourcier says, in all, the equipment totals a little more than $7,000. And, she adds, the county needs the machines for the presidential primary election in January.
Capt. Steve Parker says once deputies got to Atlantic Beach, they weren't able to find the voting machines. They found the machines in the Atlantic Beach police department evidence room, locked up.
Pierce said, it's Atlantic Beach's election and Horry County is corrupt. Pierce is the current mayor of Atlantic Beach even though she was beaten by Councilman Jake Evans in the November election.
The election was disputed and a new election has been ordered, but not yet held. Until then, the current administration remains in place.
Evans said, "I'm just surprised that none of this stuff got turned in after the election. To my knowledged, the voting machines, the ballot boxes, anything that had to do with the election should've been turned in the following day... It surprises me that here we are, better than a month later, and this stuff hasn't been turned in. I don't understand that."
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The Horry County Sheriff's Office has been asked to perform a "claim and delivery" on voting machines in Atlantic Beach.
A claim and delivery is when someone makes a claim for an item from the court. The sheriff's office is responsible for delivering the item to them.
Horry County made the claim in Judge Bradley Mayers court. County spokesperson Lisa Bourcier says Atlantic Beach used the machines in its city election in November and refused the return the two machines and related equipment. Bourcier says, in all, the equipment totals a little more than $7,000. And, she adds, the county needs the machines for the presidential primary election in January.
Capt. Steve Parker says once deputies got to Atlantic Beach, they weren't able to find the voting machine. They found the machine in the Atlantic Beach police department evidence room, locked up.
Atlantic Beach Mayor Retha Pierce tried to stop deputies from getting the machines. She says its Atlantic Beach's election and Horry County is corrupt.
Councilman Jake Evans said, "I'm just surprised that none of this stuff got turned in after the election. To my knowledged, the voting machines, the ballot boxes, anything that had to do with the election should've been turned in the following day... It surprises me that here we are, better than a month later, and this stuff hasn't been turned in. I don't understand that."
The machines are expected to be delivered to Judge Mayers office shortly. The county plans to release more information at that time.
