By Miles Layton

ELIZABETH CITY — The Republican primary race for Pasquotank County sheriff has become a focal point for questions about voter registration, candidate eligibility, and election procedures. Nina Daniels, challenging incumbent Sheriff Tommy S. Wooten II, filed to run as a Republican despite having been registered as unaffiliated for most of her adult life. Her party switch and subsequent filing have drawn intense scrutiny from the Pasquotank Political Action Committee (PAC), which formally endorsed Wooten.

“As many of you know, we issued a statement recently about the eligibility of Nina Daniels for Sheriff and endorsing Tommy S. Wooten II for Sheriff,” the PAC said in a statement that’s published in its entirety at the end of this story. “Since this statement Mrs. Daniels herself has said that we have lied about everything, as have her supporters.”

The PAC’s statement focused on what it described as a discrepancy in Daniels’ voter registration timeline.

“The voter registration history of Nina Daniels every week of her entire registration history shows Unaffiliated (UNA) up until the first week of November where it switched to Republican (REP),” the group said. PAC members also raised concerns about the time lag between updates at the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) and the State Board of Elections (NCSBE). The group questioned whether local Board of Elections staff had adequate guidance or processes to ensure that Daniels met eligibility requirements under state law.

That said, Linea Johnson’s post has gone viral on social media, challenging the Pasquotank PAC’s narrative. An Elizabeth City digital creator with thousands of followers — check out her thoughts on these matters here.

A vocal supporter of Daniels, Johnson said the PAC should apologize for making Daniels’ eligibility a public issue — even calling out Pasquotank PAC Executive Director Christina Williams.

“Christina Williams of the Pasquotank PAC owes Nina (Daniels) a PUBLIC apology. And it better be loud,” Johnson posted to social media.

The Albemarle Observer reached out to Williams to ask if she would apologize “loud” to Daniels.

Like President Trump trash-talking liberals or stupid reporters (same thing if you think about it), Williams doubled down and fired back when asked if she would apologize.

“While some of Mrs. Daniels’ supporters, many who are Democrats (so we consider the source), have certainly gotten their digs in against our organization – we have to ask – why didn’t she just run in the November election as a Democrat, or Unaffiliated, against Tommy Wooten? When did she decide she was a Republican?” Williams said to the Albemarle Observer. “She has admitted that getting signatures to be on the ballot is a difficult task and therefore she took the easy route and changed over to Republican, less than 5 business days before being required to do so. If she cuts corners and follows loopholes on issues like this, what else will she cut corners and use loopholes on as Sheriff? Why was she so unprepared to run for this position? If she claims she informed Tommy Wooten that she was going to run 3 years ago, why did she wait until the very last minute to change her party affiliation? These are questions we have and as voters, questions we are well within our rights to ask.

Williams continued, “Many of Mrs. Daniels supporters are demanding an apology from us. We did not release false information, the NC Board of Elections data was incorrect. We did not disparage Mrs. Daniels publicly as she did us. A candidate shouldn’t be so upset to have their voter registration history looked into. This should be expected. Why did she wait until we brought it up to inform everyone that she only recently switched to being a Republican?”

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While the PAC repeatedly emphasized it was not seeking to remove Daniels from the ballot, it framed its inquiry as a transparency issue. “While we still support Sheriff Tommy Wooten, we have never indicated we want Nina Daniels ‘thrown off the ballot’ as many have assumed. Let’s be clear, the ballots have already been printed and absolutely nothing would change her name being on the ballot regardless of anything. We have known that,” the statement said.

The Albemarle Observer has reached out to the Pasquotank Board of Elections for a statement about the matter — when we receive their thoughts, we’ll update the story.

Johnson changed her voter registration from Democrat to Unaffiliated last week specifically so she could vote for Daniels in the Republican primary on March 3rd.

“I don’t make decisions like this lightly. I’ve spent years building credibility in this community as someone who tries to stay informed, asks hard questions, and doesn’t just follow party lines. So when I tell you I changed my registration to vote for someone in a Republican primary, understand that it’s because I believe she’s the right person for the job,” she posted to social media.

Johnson criticized the PAC’s approach, saying the quiet part out loud.

“The Pasquotank PAC — a group that explicitly supports Nina’s opponent — spent days publicly questioning her eligibility and Republican credentials. They created doubt. They insinuated she might not qualify. They made her legitimacy as a candidate a topic of conversation,” Johnson said in a social media post Tuesday.

Johnson said that the PAC later attempted to explain the mechanics behind party registration but failed to acknowledge the public impact of their initial statements. “And now? Now they’ve ‘figured it out.’ They blame the Board of Elections staff for being ‘very inexperienced.’ They explain the technical process. They note that ‘every candidate, of any party deserves to be treated fairly’ — as if they weren’t the ones who made this unfair in the first place,” she said.

Johnson stressed that Daniels followed the proper procedures. “Nina Daniels is a qualified Republican candidate for Pasquotank County Sheriff. She filed correctly. She changed her registration correctly. She did everything right,” Johnson said.

Daniels defended her filing and said she met all legal requirements. “My filing application was properly submitted, and the county Board of Elections followed all procedures,” she posted to social media earlier this week. Daniels explained that her previous unaffiliated status was common among law enforcement officers, allowing deputies to navigate leadership changes without political complications. Switching to Republican registration reflected both her values as a constitutional conservative and a practical step to appear on the ballot without undergoing the more demanding petition process required of unaffiliated candidates in countywide races.

“Any differences in effective dates were due to system timing, not eligibility,” Daniels said, noting that she followed the steps outlined by the State Board of Elections for party-affiliation changes. She emphasized her professional and personal roots in Pasquotank County, highlighting her law enforcement experience and commitment to community service.

Technical issues with voter registration systems contributed to the public debate. Johnson explained that online voter registration records can show delayed effective dates for party-affiliation changes.

“The system sometimes records a later effective date than the one a voter may have submitted. This appears to be what happened here. It’s a technical issue, not an intentional violation,” she said. Johnson referenced a 2021 memo from the State Board of Elections outlining how Boards of Elections should handle incomplete DMV transactions, allowing candidates to correct discrepancies with sworn statements or documentation.

Johnson criticized the PAC for raising the issue publicly rather than confirming details with election officials.

“This wasn’t hard to figure out. The information was available. The BOE could have been contacted quietly. But the PAC chose to make this public first, creating a controversy that now follows Nina into every conversation about her candidacy,” she said.

Despite the criticism, the PAC defended its public statements, saying the goal was to highlight flaws in the system. “If paper in hand is worth more than what’s in their own database, this opens up the potential for fraud across the state,” the group said. They also said they would follow up with the North Carolina State Board of Elections to address procedural questions.

Wooten, the incumbent, has not publicly commented on Daniels’ registration, but the PAC emphasized its support for his candidacy. “While we still support Sheriff Tommy Wooten, raising these procedural questions is part of our role in ensuring transparency,” the statement said.

The controversy highlights how technical rules in election law can quickly become politicized. Johnson noted that such procedural issues could be handled quietly to avoid unnecessary public doubts. “Rules for party affiliation exist for a reason, but technical quirks in the system can create confusion. It’s crucial for voters to understand the context before drawing conclusions,” she said.

The PAC also questioned the Board of Elections’ processes. “Why is it taking nearly two months for NCDMV registrations and party change applications to be processed? Why aren’t proper training and resources being provided to novice county board of elections staff? Who benefits if this overall issue is always overlooked and never corrected?” the statement said.

For Daniels, the focus remains on qualifications and community service. “My candidacy is grounded in professional experience and community ties rather than partisan politics,” she said. She emphasized that procedural questions do not diminish her eligibility or commitment to public service.

North Carolina’s primary election rules make the timing of party registration especially relevant. “In a General Election anyone of any affiliation can vote for anyone they choose. But the mechanics are different for a Primary Election. Primary Elections are designed to narrow down a candidate from each party. The election coming up in March is a Primary election. Two or more Democrats could run against each other the same way two or more Republicans can run against each other. This is how the mechanics of a Primary election work. Each voter will be asked which ballot they want. If they choose a Republican ballot, there will only be Republican candidates on the ballot,” the PAC said.

The March 3 Republican primary will not only determine who represents the party in the general election, but also how voters weigh procedural disputes against experience and leadership. Early voting begins February 12.

As the campaign enters its final weeks, both Daniels and Wooten are pressing their cases to voters. Daniels is emphasizing her law enforcement record, her community ties, and her readiness to serve. Wooten relies on PAC support and his incumbency to highlight experience and continuity.

“This isn’t just about one candidate or one race,” Johnson said. “It’s about ensuring the rules are clear, the processes are consistent, and candidates understand the mechanics of filing. When that happens, elections can focus on qualifications and vision, not technical misunderstandings.”

The episode serves as a reminder that administrative details, technical delays, and public statements can shape local political campaigns. Voters must weigh both the candidates’ qualifications and the reliability of election procedures. With the primary approaching, officials, candidates, and political observers will be watching closely to see how transparency, process, and trust affect the outcome.

Pasquotank PAC’s statement:

As many of you know we issued a statement recently about the eligibility of Nina Daniels for Sheriff and endorsing Tommy S Wooten II for Sheriff. Since this statement Mrs. Daniels herself has said that we have lied about everything, as have her supporters.

Some of our participants regularly perform election integrity checks behind the local Pasquotank Board of Elections staff, which has both a brand new director and deputy director. There have been multiple issues with candidate filings in the last two elections. While checking on a claim, we noted that the voter registration history of Nina Daniels every week of her entire registration history shows Unaffiliated (UNA) up until the first week of November where it switched to Republican (REP). (see a screenshot of the switch timeframe attached)

The excessive lag of Mrs. Daniels registration update between the NCDMV and the North Carolina State Board of Elections raises serious questions to us regarding delays in exchange of information between these two state departments. It also raises questions as to any local process the staff at the Pasquotank County BOE may or may not have access to when it comes to ensuring candidates in Pasquotank County meet the 90-day filing requirement according to statute.

While we still support Sheriff Tommy Wooten, we have never indicated we want Nina Daniels “thrown off the ballot” as many have assumed. Let’s be clear, the ballots have already been printed and absolutely nothing would change her name being on the ballot regardless of anything. We have known that. The real question is, why wasn’t the date discrepancy between NCDMV and the NCSBE flagged when Mrs. Daniels filed and why wasn’t a remedy offered by local staff to her when she was filing? A remedy was in place when Mrs. Daniels filed, but it was simply not followed at that time.

A candidate cannot be expected to know all state election laws and procedures like this remedy process. The duty of the BOE staff is to review the information a candidate provides and follow all laws and instructions to ensure eligibility requirements are met. When Mrs. Daniels presented her filing application that was the proper time for staff to follow NCSBE Numbered Memo 2021-09, which explained how this was to be handled and how to correct the errors in Mrs. Daniels’ registration data. A sworn statement and proof of documentation could have been presented by Mrs. Daniels and according to N.C.G.S. 163-82.17, the elections director would have had the authority to update the registration accordingly and eliminate any future questions or problems. We know this process did not occur because the date of Mrs. Daniels registration was still showing November 2025 for her party switch as of last week.

We are currently in the process of following up with the North Carolina Board of Elections about the implications of this situation. If paper in hand is worth more than what’s in their own database, this opens up the potential for fraud across the state. We are not asking for Nina Daniels’ candidacy to be declared ineligible but we are using this as an example of the flaws in the system.

Numbered Memo 2021-09 (referenced below) from the NC State Board of Elections regarding problems with party affiliation changes made in the NCDMV portal was from FIVE years ago. In FIVE years the data failures and user account problems between NCDMV and the NCSBE have never been corrected. The candidate is expected to find the error and initiate the correction with staff. This has a negative impact on ALL candidates across North Carolina. While State Auditor Dave Boliek is auditing the NCDMV and its systems, we think this issue needs to be addressed as well. We are not the first or the last county in North Carolina that has or will be affected by this.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has some questions to answer. Why is it taking nearly two months for NCDMV registrations and party change applications to be processed? Why aren’t proper training and resources being provided to novice county board of elections staff? Who benefits if this overall issue is always overlooked and never corrected?

People deserve to know the truth – don’t trust the NCDMV for your voter registration to be processed in a timely manner. Without these questions being highlighted in a very public way, we are certain these problems will be swept under the rug. This is about much more than a local Sheriff’s race.

Please note: In a General Election anyone of any affiliation can vote for anyone they choose. But the mechanics are different for a Primary Election. Primary Elections are designed to narrow down a candidate from each party. The election coming up in March is a Primary election. Two or more Democrats could run against each other the same way two or more Republicans can run against each other. This is how the mechanics of a Primary election work. Each voter will be asked which ballot they want. If they choose a Republican ballot, there will only be Republican candidates on the ballot.

Numbered Memo reference link – https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fdl.ncsbe.gov%2Fsboe%2Fnumbermemo%2F2021%2FNumbered%2520Memo%25202021-09%2520Party%2520Affiliation%2520Correction%2520Based%2520on%2520Incomplete%2520DMV%2520Online%2520Transactions.pdf%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExS1NLMlJFa2U4Njd3enB3UnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR54CCv0XHRAhcJobrZrXqku4-uunXlfPBAyfh-ZfNZQy1Jv96KyrDv0G4J2qw_aem_POwQr4ydZQWM8Do6V8eSvA&h=AT2Puv8k0HTfyUAcP6UwtwRGgBSE-TLokRPMXyvqa4LBq5F6YjzoerQ8WIRnJdHupCDkJeQ_jCzLUL0lyxct6n-xKIdkSaBGcMw51Oy7IgI3KalCMWsQyU08KUodlABUtY7h1IFioHFtke9I&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT1hScsLRtDuOSpjumHRMYV7Kw60k3_J5Ml1YopYTCfsIBoGQAM_cEPzH0SxpCFM87mK8NA7J0WwOVud9aGGUSBm_DGrSbHRD6ZAuVcSsTbcyxDiRvCGWQbDLPY__-HefGWngYmtvO30nl4Z5mpf95_Vkr4B-1YsbjI2sHNarGsABYRoSCWJSf6mrXyridWK_ko_Pmu97PRdDzVq31bK-7QovQ