GREENSBORO-“Nothing has changed since this whole mess started, but the truth will come out on July 8,” Hale County Commissioner Lois Fields said. Fields is ready to face the Hale County Democratic Party subcommittee and present her evidence about the Akron debacle.

Fields said thanks to the subcommittee, who just recently agreed that her contest was filed in time, will now have to listen to both sides present their facts as to why the election results should be allowed or not.

“They are going to hold the next Hale County Democratic Party subcommittee hearing on July 8 at 2 p.m.,” Fields said.

Elijah Knox who was victorious in the election by a vote count of 711-600 over Fields sees this as an open and shut case.

“Well all I know is that I’m the winner, and the people have spoken,” Knox said.

When told about Hale County Circuit Clerk Gay Nell Tinker’s findings that 108 people received the wrong ballots in the clerk’s list that was highlighted after the voters in Akron voted, he said, “He had no comment.”

Hale County Probate Judge Leland Avery said depending on what is ruled by the sub committee, either said can then appeal to the State.

“All of this is in the hands of the Democratic Party now,” Avery said.

He said 252 people that lived in Akron voted, 218 for Knox and 34 for Fields in the Hale County Commissioner District two election on June 2. He also said of those 252 people, they have already found 84 people that should not have voted on the district two ballots.

Tinker said this is just like 2000 elections all over again. She also said when the votes were turned into four envelopes containing the different lists were turned in also.

“I went up to the courtroom, which has been locked since the day after elections were held to get the votes,” Tinker said, “But when I got inside the courtroom, I found two of the four envelopes laying opened in a chair.”

She said the two envelopes clearly state they are from Akron 2-2B, which are the districts in question by Fields and they are not to be open unless there is a contest of the election. She also said none of the stuff from Akron is here, not even the box containing the ballots.

“The box of ballots from Akron isn’t in the sheriff’s office,” Tinker said, “Its not in this courthouse.”