Former Wake County commissioner, state legislator charged after allegedly pushing Wake Forest election worker

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- A former state legislator and Wake County commissioner was cited and charged after being accused of pushing an election worker at a Wake Forest early voting site Friday morning.

According to our newsgathering partners at the News & Observer, Gary Pendleton, 73, was working as an official Republican poll observer at the early polling location on East Holding Avenue at the time.

Pendleton is a former Wake County commissioner and served in the North Carolina General Assembly from 2015 to 2017.

A representative for the Wake County Sheriff's Office said Pendleton was cited and charged with misdemeanor assault and trespassing. He also cannot enter the Wake Forest polling location again.

Pendleton told the N&O that he pushed the worker "back a little bit," because of concerns about COVID-19.