HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Houston County Democrats claim a Warner Robins councilman violated election laws this week.
Charlie Bibb is running for re-election against challenger L. Ellis Carter for the city-wide post 2 seat, which he currently sits in.
Results after Tuesday showed Bibb leading by three votes and the race still undecided, but Houston County Democrats allege the incumbent broke election laws by sitting inside a precinct wearing his campaign shirt.
"This is a case of a candidate doing something that they shouldn't have done," Gene Degraphenread said.
Degraphenread serves as the vice chair of the Houston County Democrats.
Chair Kristen Kiefer said she witnessed the alleged misconduct and said it was just "by chance" or a coincidence that she saw Bibb at a polling precinct on election night.
Degraphenread said her role is to collect demographic information for their organization's election statistics, a typical act parties exercise.
However, Kiefer says she saw Councilman Bibb inside Mossy Creek Middle School, one of the six precincts where Warner Robins citizens can vote.
They say Bibb was not only present at the precinct, but he also wore a campaign t-shirt as he chatted with poll workers and voters.
If this is true, Bibb would have violated two state election rules.
By state law, candidates cannot be inside a polling place during an election unless they're there to vote.
"Allegedly, he walked up to a couple of voters and talked to them," Degraphenread said.
13WAMAZ could not confirm with Bibb if the alleged photo or video shared was actually him.
The organization reached out to the Houston County Board of Elections immediately and reported what they believed they were witnessing.
"I don't know what he talked about, but he had his campaign shirt on and he was talking to voters inside of the voting location," he alleges.
Houston County Democrats say they don't know what Bibb's motivations could have been, "but he should know that he shouldn't be inside of a polling location during voting hours unless he's voting at his location."
According to property records, Bibb's home is four miles from the MCMS precinct in Warner Robins.
The Democrats also say the poll worker in charge failed to report Bibb's violation.
"We're just requesting that the city and the county, the board of elections, together conduct a thorough investigation of what happened," the vice-chair said.
13WMAZ reached out to the Houston County Board of Elections about what they plan to do about the allegations, but its offices are closed for Veterans' Day.
During an initial call with Bibb Friday morning, he agreed to an interview after the City of Warner Robins' Veterans Day service at City Hall. Nine minutes later, he called back to say he could not comment on the "serious allegations" against him.
Bibb denied he was at Mossy Creek Middle on election night, let alone campaigning.
He referred questions to his lawyer, but would not name who that is.
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, the Houston County Board of Elections will meet with the democrats' group to discuss their complaint against Bibb.
The Secretary of State's Office said election misconduct allegations should be sent directly to their offices.