WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsHamilton Poll Worker Removed from Precinct

Hamilton Poll Worker Removed from Precinct

Rachel Withers
Eyewitness News Reporter

Hamilton County, TN (WRCB) -- A Hamilton County poll worker was removed from Harrison precinct-2, that's at the Bayside Baptist Church.

Precinct manager Brock Bennington tells Eyewitness News the worker was overheard telling a person to vote for Republican candidate for Sheriff, Jim Hammond.

Bennington says the matter was immediately brought to his attention.  He questioned the worker, and she admitted making an inappropriate comment.  Bennington says the poll worker was then asked to leave the precinct premises.

Bennington says the woman has been a poll worker for years, and he assures the voting public that she has never made such statements before.  He also maintains she was not pressuring numerous voters to support a particular candidate.

Write-in candidate Fred Fuson tells Eyewitness News he's irate about the worker's comment, and fears it could cost a sheriff's candidate the election.  "It cost somebody a vote, cause this person didn't know who to vote for," said Fuson.  "That was not right, or fair, or above board for her to make that comment."

Fuson asks the voting public to come forward now if they heard any poll worker at any precinct make similar statements.  He says Hamilton County's Election Commmission needs to be aware of such incidents.