Charlotte County Electoral Board votes to temporarily relocate registrar's office after letter calls office a 'crime scene'

The Charlotte County Electoral Board voted Monday to temporarily move the Charlotte County registrar’s office to the county’s former Commonwealth Attorney’s office while "looming litigation" is resolved, board records show.

Glenn Baker, vice chairman and acting chair of the Charlotte County Electoral Board, and Glenwood Foster, the board secretary, said the action followed receipt of an email the night before the office was scheduled to reopen. The email, sent at 7:13 p.m. Dec. 19, came from John Janson, who wrote that in his opinion the registrar’s office was a "crime scene" and should not be opened because evidence could be compromised.

The board discussed several options, including keeping the registrar’s office locked and sealed to preserve records and opening a satellite office to continue required daily functions. "The Registrar's office be temporarily moved from its existing location to the former Commonwealth Attorney’s office until looming litigation is resolved," Secretary Glenwood Foster moved; Acting Chair Glenn Baker seconded the motion. The motion passed without dissenting vote.

Board members said they had arranged for a registrar from a neighboring county to be at the county registrar’s office the morning it was scheduled to reopen, and that keeping the office sealed while operating a satellite location was intended to protect the integrity of election records. The board also contacted the County Attorney’s office for legal advice; the County Attorney, Russell Slayton, asked the board to submit questions by email and later provided a response to the board’s inquiries.

Acting Chair Baker drafted and sent an email to the Department of Elections describing the board’s plan to open a satellite office while the issues surrounding the registrar’s office are addressed. Board minutes indicate the emergency meeting was called to consult with legal counsel and determine an interim arrangement that preserves records and allows essential election services to continue.

The board made no formal public finding about the substance of the letter’s claim; the board’s recorded action was a temporary relocation and sealing of the office while legal questions and pending litigation are handled. The board adjourned after approving the relocation motion.