Greene County judge reappoints elections board
WAYNESBURG – Three days after the entire Greene County Board of Elections abruptly resigned over claims by its members that the county commissioners were usurping their authority, President Judge Farley Toothman reappointed himself and a courtroom staffer back onto the board.
Toothman announced the appointments Monday afternoon that he had reinstalled himself and Michael Dulaney, a member of his courtroom staff, to the three-person board. He also appointed former county elections director Frances D. Pratt to the board.
Toothman, Dulaney and Lawrence Stratton all resigned Friday afternoon following an hourlong closed-door meeting in the judge’s chambers. According to notes taken during the meeting, the three men expressed displeasure with a decision by the county commissioners Thursday morning to spend $12,000 to request Electronic Software & Systems to offer technical support with the electronic voting machines before and after the Nov. 3 election.
The notes stated the men met to discuss “contractual, legal and ethical implications” of that decision.
County officials said they were baffled by those complaints considering the elections board had been pursuing similar technical support from the company.
The reappointments came less than 24 hours before Tuesday’s Board of Elections meeting at noon in the county office building.
Election Director Tina Kiger said the board must reorganize at the beginning of the meeting. It is also expected to discuss a “calibration issue” with at least two voting machines in the May primary. Kiger said she also expects the board to also discuss the technical support from ES&S, which sold the voting machines to the county 12 years ago.
Pratt had no comment about her appointment, but said she would be attending Tuesday’s board meeting.
Toothman could not be reached for comment Monday.