As the North Carolina Board of Elections investigates the results of the 9th Congressional District election between Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready, questions swirl about a Bladen County electioneer.
For years, Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr. has been well known in Bladen County political circles.
Dowless, who goes by McCrae, serves on the board of the Bladen County Soil and Water Conservation District as the vice chair, an elected position.
Dowless is better known for his work on campaigns other than his own.
Attempts to get in contact with Dowless have been unsuccessful. When Channel 9 stopped by the Bladen County Soil and Water Conversation District Office last week, an employee said Dowless is only in for meetings and he doesnt use computers often.
Dowless has a criminal record dating back to the 1980s.
Records show Dowless served six months in prison after being convicted of felony fraud charge in 1992. Dowless has also previously faced a charge for perjury.
A criminal past has not stopped Dowless from working on campaigns of several prominent local and statewide politicians.
Dowless political career has been centered around getting out the vote.
According to campaign finance reports, Dowless first major race was in 2010, working for Harold Butch Popes campaign for Bladen County district attorney.
The Pope campaign paid Dowless $7,127 over the course of the year.
A majority of the payments were for "get out the vote" efforts. Pope defeated Jon David by more than 4,000 votes.
Over the next couple of years, Dowless was paid thousands of dollars for get out the vote efforts and, at times, campaign manager for eastern North Carolina candidates Wesley Meredith, Al Leonard, Ken Waddell, and William Brisson.
Dowless candidates have not been limited to eastern North Carolina
He was paid $800 for consulting fees for Republican Charlotte City Council candidate Pete Givens. Mark Harris, a friend of Givens, did a fundraiser and campaigned for him.
The NCSBE is currently investigating claims of irregularities and fraudulent activities related to absentee by-mail voting.
Dowless past work includes huge differences between his candidates absentee by mail total and opponents.
Dowless wasnt always connected to the Harris campaign.
In the 2016 primary, records show Dowless worked for Todd Johnson, who ran against Harris and Robert Pittenger.
Campaign finance reports show Dowless was paid $6,456 by Johnsons campaign.
The disbursement description was for get out the vote.
In the June 2016 primary, Johnson finished last in the race, trailing the top vote-getter Pittenger by a little more than 1,100 votes. Despite the loss, Johnson dominated in Bladen County, carrying 68 percent of the vote.
A deeper look at the votes reveals Johnson received 98 percent of absentee by mail votes.
Johnson received 221 absentee-by-mail votes.
Pittenger and Harris combined for five.
The 221 absentee-by-mail votes amounted to 51 percent of his total votes received by that method and 21 percent of the total amount of absentee-by-mail votes when each candidates totals are added together.
As Channel 9 reported last week, Dowless was referenced in two affidavits that are now included in NCSBEs investigation.
In one affidavit, a witness claims he overheard a person saying Dowless would be paid $40,000 for a Mark Harris victory.
Another man claims in an affidavit that Dowless told him he was doing absentees for the Mark Harris campaign and James McVickers campaign for Bladen County sheriff.