NC officials try again to stabilize county’s elections after 3rd director leaves
Anson County’s elections office is again without stable leadership just weeks after the state stepped in to steady it.
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Gerald Poplin, the acting director appointed Aug. 5, is no longer able to serve because of a medical issue, leaving state officials searching for a fourth elections director in roughly a year as the November midterm approaches. Three county elections board members also are asking the North Carolina State Board of Elections to take action against fellow board member Ross Streater over an alleged threat made against Poplin hours after his appointment.
Less than two weeks ago state officials traveled to Wadesboro to project stability and reassure voters about November. NCSBE Executive Director Sam Hayes appointed Poplin and promised staffing, oversight and other support to ensure Anson County could successfully administer the November election after former county elections director Neva Helms resigned suddenly.
Hours after that news conference, Streater allegedly threatened Poplin with physical violence during a special Board of Elections meeting.
An Anson County Sheriff’s Office report said Poplin told investigators Streater had been “giving Mrs. Kelly Newton the Board Chair a hard time” during the meeting. Poplin said Streater then told him, “I’m going to take you outside and whoop your ass.” The deputy characterized the statement in the report as a threat to assault Poplin.
No charges were filed in connection with the incident. Poplin told the deputy he contacted the state board and wanted the incident documented in case of further problems.
Streater separately contacted the sheriff’s office and reported he felt threatened by a statement Poplin made during the same meeting. According to that report, Poplin told Streater he had been sent to Anson County “to take care of people like him.” No charges had been filed from that report either.
Meanwhile, Poplin has not formally resigned, but NCSBE spokesperson Jason Tyson said he is medically unable to continue performing the duties of director.
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The state board is now relying on its own employees and help from neighboring counties to keep the Anson office staffed. Parker Holland, the state’s director of elections administration, is currently working in the office while the state continues looking for longer-term staffing solutions.
Tyson said the state board remains confident Anson County will be ready for November.
Three of Streater’s fellow board members — Chair Kelly Newton, Kelly Knapp and Matthew Longworth — have since filed formal complaints with the state board.
Their allegations go beyond the Aug. 5 confrontation.
Knapp, Longworth and Newton each alleged a broader pattern of disruptive behavior by Streater beyond the Aug. 5 confrontation. Knapp accused him of previously calling Newton “trailer trash” and repeatedly accusing Republican members of lying. Longworth described escalating confrontations that drew law enforcement to meetings. Newton wrote Streater’s conduct since 2025 had been “disrespectful, divisive, racially charged and disruptive.” Knapp and Longworth both asked the state board to remove him.
In an interview with The Charlotte Observer, Streater denied threatening Poplin or saying he would “whoop” him, and said Poplin was the one who made him feel threatened during the Aug. 5 meeting. Streater said he viewed Poplin’s comment about being sent to Anson County to “take care of people like” him as racially motivated, as Streater is Black. He also rejected his fellow board members’ characterization of his conduct as disruptive, instead blaming Republican board members for the contentious meetings.
Streater said he does “not really” wish to remain on the board given the tension and his inability to influence outcomes as a Democrat.
The state board will consider the complaints at its meeting Thursday, Tyson said. That meeting is already expected to be lengthy because the board must also resolve early voting plans from 20 counties where local boards failed to reach unanimous agreements. Anson County is among them.
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This story was originally published August 19, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
