Davidson County elections official Ruth Honeycutt takes signed protest affidavits from Salvation’s Way members in the Lexington elections office. DON DAVIS JR. | HPE
The residents submitted signed affidavits Wednesday afternoon to the Davidson County Board of Elections office that say Hege, a convicted felon, would be in direct violation of N.C. G.S. 14-415.1 if elected as sheriff. According to the statute, it’s “unlawful for any person who has been convicted of a felony to purchase, own, possess or have in custody, care, or control any firearm or any weapon of mass death and destruction.”
The general statues disqualify Hege from “being in care, control and custody of not only firearms, but also deputies carrying firearms,” said Melisia Prout, the president of Salvation’s Way and a Forsyth County resident who organized the challenge. Prout, a former Davidson County resident who couldn’t sign an affidavit because of her residency, said Salvation’s Way is a nonprofit that helps low-income individuals in legal situations, such as in the case of challenging Hege’s candidacy.
“Mr. Hege would have complete custody, care and control of firearms as well as custody, care and control of officers carrying firearms,” Prout said. “Mr. Hege does not meet the constitutional qualifications to seek election for the office of sheriff.”
N.C. G.S. 163-127.2 allows for residents to challenge candidates no later than 10 business days after the close of the candidate’s filing period. Under the statute, grounds for filing a challenge are that the candidate does not meet the constitutional or statutory qualifications for the office. The statute also says “if defect” is discovered after the deadline, grounds may be the basis for a protest.
Responding to the challenge, Hege told The High Point Enterprise that the fact he can’t carry a gun has “been challenged from day one.” He said the argument that he couldn’t lead the sheriff’s office because he can’t own or posses a gun “doesn’t make any sense.”
“You are not going to disarm the entire sheriff’s office,” said Hege, who resigned as sheriff in 2004 after pleading guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice for attempting to cover up money missing from the vice and narcotics unit of the sheriff’s department. “When (a law enforcement officer) goes to rookie school, (basic law enforcement training), that certifies him to carry a weapon. That wouldn’t play on being sheriff. If you are going to take his firearm away from him, you put him out in harm’s way. I don’t see where that would make any sense.”
Ruth Huneycutt, director of the Davidson County Board of Elections, said members of the elections board will review the challenge at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Hege said he and his attorney will attend the meeting.
“I want to be there,” Hege said. “I want to look them in the eyeball.”
dignasiak@hpe.com | 888-3657
Hege is no different than the ones he put in prison.
I still can't get over the 'slap on the wrist' he got for being a 'FELON' ! !
It only says part, not all. It says the part where Davidson county residents are too stupid to keep the keys to the county away from a dope running thug criminal.
that says it all