Board of elections revokes Democrat's voter registration

CELINA - Mercer County Board of Elections members at a rare public hearing on Monday morning voted unanimously to revoke Benjamin King's voter registration address at 115 E. Anthony St., Celina.

King, who opted not to answer questions during the hour-long quasi-judicial hearing in the courthouse auditorium, could face criminal charges if either the county prosecutor's office or city law director George Moore decides to take up the case, said county assistant prosecutor Amy Ikerd.

Afterward, King said he would defer comment on the matter until he speaks with an attorney.

Thomas Sanford, one of three Republicans swept into Celina City Council at the general election, on Nov. 16 filed a challenge of right to vote and correction of registration list of King, according to hearing documents.

King is a registered Democrat who voted early in the Nov. 7 general election, according to board of elections director Deb Sneddon. He is brother to Jason King, the Republican Celina City Council president, and brother-in-law to State Rep. Angie King, R-Celina.

It was revealed on Monday morning that Benjamin King had at one point resided at the 115 E. Anthony St. address with his parents and siblings.

But Benjamin King hasn't lived there for at least four years, according to Sanford, one of three subpoenaed witnesses who testified at the hearing.

"I know the family that lives there. I know that he (Benjamin King) has not lived there for a while. I know that was his address growing up, and it did not appear to be correct to me because of the last four to five years my friend has lived there," Sanford said.

His friend, Justin Monfort, testified that he has lived at the 115 E. Anthony St. residence since March or April 2020. The prior owner was Gary King, whose children are Mark, Amanda, Nichole, Jason and Benjamin, Monfort said.

Asked by county assistant prosecutor Andy Hinders if it had been the childhood residence of Benjamin King, Montfort replied, "at some point, yes."

However, Monfort said since he has owned the home, Benjamin King has never lived there. Monfort said the first year he did receive mail addressed to Benjamin King, which he would take to Benjamin King's sister.

When brought into the auditorium to testify before board members, Benjamin King exercised his right to remain silent and requested a public defender.

Hinders then called for board of elections director Deb Sneddon. She addressed three documents presented as exhibits, the first a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) form signed by Benjamin King that was received on Nov. 5, 2012.

Benjamin King marked that he was a U.S. Citizen residing outside the U.S. and did not intend to return. He listed an address in Australia.

Sneddon then verified a second exhibit as being a printout from the board of elections' voter registration system. It specifies Benjamin King's standard residence address as 115 E. Anthony St.

She also acknowledged she issued subpoenas to the three witnesses by order of the board of elections. A third exhibit was a county sheriff's office letter certifying that Benjamin King had been served a subpoena at 4856 Oregon Road, Celina, on Nov. 22.

The address is not inside the city limits, Sneddon said.

Also, Sneddon said Benjamin King, to the best of her knowledge, voted on Oct. 11, the first day of early voting for the Nov. 7 general election.

"I believe he stated 115 E. Anthony Street," Sneddon said.

Board member Phil Long, a Democrat, then asked a few questions about how Sanford acquired information about Benjamin King's address.

"In order for Mr. King to be challenged by Mr. Sanford, information had to be given. How is that information obtained by a citizen?" Long asked.

Sneddon replied that the entire voter registration is available on the Ohio Secretary of State's Office website.

"Mercer County does not publish our voter registration list, but people can access (it) on their own," she said. "People can call and request voter lists in any number of different ways, depending on what they intend to use it for."

Responding to Long, Sneddon said she was not sure if Sanford requested the information as a public record, but if he did, it would have been recorded.

Long then asked for Sanford to return to the auditorium and explain to the board how he got the information about Benjamin King in order to question his residence.

Noting that he was running for city council at the time, Sanford said he was receiving absentee daily reports from the board of elections.

"As I'm going through I saw the information, talked about it with Justin, as well, and (asked) 'What's your address?'" Sanford said.

Prior to board members breaking for a brief recess to discuss the challenge privately, Hinders touched on Benjamin King's request for a court-appointed attorney. He said anyone facing criminal charges has the right to be represented by an attorney and appointed one free of charge, given jail time is a possibility.

Since the board has no power to impose a jail term, Benjamin King does not have the right to a court-appointed attorney, Hinders opined.

After board members returned from recess, Hinders said Benjamin King had been given a form to apply for appointed counsel. But since board members are statutorily required to hold a hearing and render a decision within 10 days of the challenge, Hinders said it was not possible for them to address the request on Monday morning.

Based on the evidence provided, board members unanimously voted in favor of a motion that Benjamin King's address at 115 E. Anthony Street is not valid and that his voter registration at that address be revoked.

Board members are Long and fellow Democrat Craig Klopfleisch and Republicans Del Kramer and Toni Slusser.

Hinders said Benjamin King can appeal the board's ruling to the county common pleas court. He also noted that King could apply to register as a voter at any other address.