House District 45 voting procedures questioned in Cleveland County hearing

District Judge Tracy Schumacher said Roberts could be provided a transcript of the proceedings, which lasted about three hours before the judge continued it until 10:30 a.m. Nov. 30.

Roberts is alleging voting irregularities in the race with incumbent Republican Aaron Stiles, who has been declared the winner by a 16-vote margin.

Roberts' attorneys want the results set aside and a new election called because they contend too many provisional ballots that should have been counted were ruled invalid. They also contend some ineligible voters were allowed to cast ballots in the contest.

Ballots examined

Attorney Greg Bledsoe, who represents Roberts, said he had a list of 33 voters whose provisional ballots were not counted, although they were registered voters in the district.

At the hearing, Bledsoe asked Annette Pretty, assistant secretary of the Cleveland County Election Board, to go through the list one by one and specify why each ballot was rejected.

Pretty made it through seven ballots before time ran out and Schumacher recessed the hearing.