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Board questions interim registrar's staffing, consultant and timeline for hiring permanent registrar
Summary
Board members debated whether the interim registrar exceeded staffing authorizations, with chairman and secretary at odds over approvals; the board reviewed prior motions about advertising for a permanent registrar and agreed to check statutory authority under code 24.2-110.
Concerns about interim staffing levels and the process for filling the registrar post were central to the Electoral Board's April 15 meeting.
Chairman Lawrence Clark read a March 16 email listing grievances, including that the interim registrar had five assistants and a consultant "not approved by the board," and that the chairman only learned about the consultant after the election. The email also asked why two ballots were not cured and when they arrived at the registrar's office. Secretary Glenwood Foster and others pushed back, saying staffing-authority and prior motions needed to be reviewed.
Vice-Chair Warren Browning and Rebecca Daly read portions of August minutes memorializing motions that moved Eric Goode to interim registrar through July 1, 2021, and directed that advertising for a permanent registrar begin June 1, 2021. Clark noted code 24.2-110, saying the electoral board fills vacancies for the expiring term, and asked staff to verify whether past votes and the statute align with current action.
Rebecca Daly said the board retains authority to remove an interim registrar if duties are not being fulfilled, and urged the board to stop re-litigating past minutes and instead evaluate performance. Officer Kurtis Jones called for a "true evaluation" of the interim registrar's performance, saying the board must work together to ensure fair, open and legal elections.
The board did not take a formal removal vote at the April 15 meeting; members agreed to verify prior motions, review statute 24.2-110 and the August record, and to set a timeline for advertising and interviews consistent with the board's earlier actions.
