Judge upset by registrars office's woes
By Ellen Williams SA Reporter

That there are problems in the registrars office in Washington County is a giant understatement. "I am responsible for elections and I have been trying to get that message out now for a year," a frustrated Charles Singleton said at the March 24 Washington County Commission meeting. "We have 13,000 registered voters in this county and 8,000 of them have irregular addresses."

Commissioner Willie Dixon had questions regarding the proposed voting centers that were discussed at the previous meeting. Probate Judge Charles Singleton stated, "State law requires that anything that has to do with voting has to be done at the first meeting in March." The judge had distributed the proposed list of 20 voting centers instead of the former 35, thereby saving the county a good deal of money.

Dixon asked if going to the voting centers would take place in the fall (November elections) rather than in June. Singleton indicated that that would be the case and added, "There is a question as to whether we can even hold an election." He was referring to the problem with the board of registrars, who have not been able to come up with an accurate comprehensive voter list. Singleton said he had been trying to get something done for a year.

This is not the first time that the morass in the registrars office has been aired. At the Feb. 21 meeting of the Democratic Executive Committee, Judge Singleton had told the group, "As it stands today, we cannot hold an election in Washington County." He told those assembled that 40 percent of the names on the voters lists do not have 911 addresses. The judge went on to address the urgency of the matter.

At that same meeting Michael Onderdonk, local attorney and member of the Democratic Executive Committee stated, "We have discussed this before at the county commission meeting. We have a board of registrars who are unable or unwilling to do the job for which they have been hired."

Onderdonk went on to propose a resolution that the Democratic Committee support the probate judge and if necessary appoint an outside contractor to bring the voters lists up to standard. Onderdonk added to his original resolution wording that authorized the committee to send a letter to the Secretary of State that if necessary new appointments be made to the board of registrars so that Washington County's voter data can be compiled and brought up to date.

At the March 24 commission meeting, Singleton explained to the commission that before Washington County can hold an election, the computer data base has to be scrubbed and new information input.

He continued, "We will be fortunate, blessed by God and have lots of luck to be able to hold a June election. We can do it if certain things happen. If certain things don't happen, we cannot hold an election."

On March 14, two representatives of the Secretary of State's office came to Washington County to meet with the board of registrars and Judge Singleton says that action to work out this matter will soon begin.

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