The Brenda Merica Story

Page County Watch wondered what the hullabaloo was with the County Registrar.

Here's the scoop.

The County Registrar is the person who makes sure our elections are set up and run in accordance with the rules. Brenda Merica has been doing this for 24 years. Her job is a salaried job, and she has been chosen and reappointed to this job time and time again, by both Democrats and Republicans. She has it down. She knows the rules. She makes sure they are followed, so our elections can be above reproach. This is a good thing.

But the Registrar's job is a political appointment. She is appointed by the Electoral Board, and the Electoral Board has the right to appoint someone else. They don't need a reason. They don't need to have cause to get someone else. They are elected, and the Registrar is apointed by the elected Board. That's it. It's their choice.

The Electoral Board is currently two Democrats (Nancy Bell Gordon and Juanita Sedwick) and one Republican (Bob Forrest). It's two Democrats because Tim Kaine is governor. If we had a Republican governor it would be two Republicans.

The Electoral Board started advertising for the Registrar's position. They will take applications and make a decision at the end of June. It is their right to do this, even though the current Registrar is doing a good job. I looked it up.

The only public concern would be that the new Registrar be capable of making sure our elections are on the up and up, and we don't run afoul of any state rules in the process. In many counties, there is an unpaid "Assistant" to the Registrar, who learns the ropes so that there will not be a glitch during any transitions. Our county didn't have an Assistant Registrar, so the rules are known inside and outside by only one person. Brenda.

If you think failing to reappoint Brenda Merica to this job is bad for the county, you are the citizens who elected Bob Forrest, Juanita Sedwick, and Nancy Bell Gordon to the Electoral Board. It is their decision, and they have not yet formally made it. They have the control over this. This wasn't done by the "imports", or the Sheriff, or the big bad developers.

If you think it's not right to pull this public servant out of her job of 24 years, and expose the county to potential disruption by mistakes in the election processes, call your elected representatives on the Electoral Board and tell them you as citizens want things done differently.

That's all the blogger has to say about this. What's your opinion? Hit the comments button.