NC Elections Board Dumps County Official For Racial Facebook Posts

Facebook posts caused the dismissal of a Rowan County elections official. The state Board of Elections voted Thursday to remove Mac Butner from the board by a 3 to 2 vote.

A focal point for his removal was activity on Facebook and perceived lack of impartiality.  The social media posts in question were racially-tinged Facebook messages praising the Confederacy and suggesting that black citizens who participated in protests against state policies weren't "productive good citizens" with jobs.

The Salisbury Post notes that some board members questioned whether the fact that the posts were made before Butner's appointment mattered.

Butner did not attend the meeting, but sent a three-sentence letter. Butner was appointed to the board this summer. Later, he was selected as the chairman by a unanimous vote of the Rowan Board of Elections members.

Butner's case represents the first time anyone has been removed from a local board of elections for social media posts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report..