THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, January 14, 1995             TAG: 9501140190
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: WINTON                             LENGTH: Short :   47 lines

HEARING IS PLANNED TO DISCUSS DISMISSAL OF ELECTIONS OFFICIAL

A state elections board hearing is planned here in March to determine whether Hertford County Board of Elections Chairwoman Edna Hines should remain at her post.

Hines, 66, was convicted Jan. 6 of intimidating and attempting to intimidate another elections board member in the performance of his duties. The jury's guilty verdict for that felony and a related misdemeanor are under appeal.

North Carolina Board of Elections members met Thursday afternoon in Raleigh and decided to hold a hearing in Winton to allow Hines an opportunity to defend herself against possible election law violations.

State elections officials have said they asked Hines to resign after she became a convicted felon and could no longer legally vote. While her case is on appeal, however, her civil rights remain intact.

Hines, of Ahoskie, said in a brief telephone interview Friday that she has never been contacted about resigning from the board.

``I have not received any official word from nobody,'' she said.

The March hearing will involve Hines' recent convictions, which included a 30-day suspended sentence, a $200 or $250 fine, and other suspected elections infractions.

The executive director of the state elections board last year asked the State Bureau of Investigation to look into ``several allegations of possible election law violations from the November 1993 elections and the primary of May 1994,'' said Stacy Hahn, the N.C. voter registration director.

Hahn, who has been involved with the case, said she could not elaborate on the charges.

Testimony during Hines' trial indicated that the chairwoman threatened to kill Douglas Askew during a ballot recount at the November 1993 elections.

As part of his official duties, Askew, a Republican, followed Hines, a Democrat, into a room to witness her tabulate absentee votes. Hines threatened Askew and said she would choke him, according to a previous interview with District Attorney David Beard.

Hines said Friday she would not comment on the case.

A specific date for the Winton hearing may be announced next week, Hahn said. by CNB