Board of Elections

Heads up from NC Policy Watch:

Will the new State Board of Elections be a genuine watchdog or a rubber stamp for political powers that be? Today’s initial meeting of the new group appointed by Governor McCrory should provide some interesting signals.

Any bets on rubber stamp?

Sixty-one days.

In sixty-one days, the filing period will begin for races including the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, the state Senate, the state House, county commissioners, and other public offices in this great state of North Carolina.

On Feb. 8, county Board of Elections, from Murphy to Manteo, will open up their doors for business...and who will dare to walk in? From the 8th to the 26th of February, there is a window to help shape the communities we all live in. All the blog posts, 30-second ads, and fundraisers in the world will not change the fact that, during those days, filling out a piece of paper and paying a fee is all that one individual has to do to change our democracy.

Voter registration has increased by more than a quarter-million people in North Carolina in 2008, an election reform group said Monday as it warned of long lines come Election Day unless early voting is expanded.

Two equally important offices, headed by two dedicated women. The ROD, or Register of Deeds (an elected position) in Moore County is Judy Martin. The Director of the Moore County Board of Elections is Glenda Clendenin. This position “is appointed by the executive secretary-director of the state board of election upon the recommendation of the local board. The staff of the county board of elections serves at the pleasure of that board and is hired by that board.”

Thursday night we met in the Register of Deeds office in the old BB&T building on Court House Square. Mrs. Martin was our first speaker. As Director of the Register of Deeds, she is the “Legal custodian of all real estate and vital records for Moore County.” Their mission statement affirms that they “protect, preserve, provide access and maintain accuracy and the integrity of all public records for which we are legally entrusted.”