Poll worker charged with trying to coerce SC primary voters

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A polling official in Sumter County has been charged with trying to coerce voters as she worked at the polls during last summer’s state primary election.

The State Law Enforcement Division says 64-year-old Sara H. Benenhaley was arrested Monday and charged with willful neglect or corrupt conduct by officers other than election manager.

SLED says Benenhaley used her position as a polling official to tell voters whom they should support in the primary and subsequent runoff election.

State police warrants didn’t say what candidate Benenhaley was telling people to support. It wasn’t immediately clear if she had a lawyer.

If convicted, Benenhaley could spend three years in prison or pay a $500 fine.

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Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP . Read more of her work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/meg-kinnard/