Republican charges of “potential for undue influence” in the registrars office, and a move by that party to have either its registrar or deputy registrar in the office at all times, is being painted as a personal attack by Peggy Reeves, Democratic registrar and candidate for the state representative seat in the 143rd District.
Ms. Reeves said such a change is an attack on her integrity.
“We’ve always run the office in a nonpartisan way. There’s no way I could force someone to be a Democrat. It’s ridiculous,” said Ms. Reeves in response to the decision.
Ms. Reeves is running for state representative opposite the Republican nominee, Second Selectman Susan Bruschi. Ms. Reeves has been a registrar for 14 years.
On Tuesday, in a press release sent from Al Alper, Republican Town Committee chair, Tina Gardner, the Republican registrar for the last 10 years, said in order to assure the public of the “transparency” of the registrar’s office, either her or her deputy Joan Starr would be in the office at all times this election season.
“This addresses some long-felt concerns in the community that there was a potential for undue influence as a split work schedule meant that, for half of the work week, there was single party representation when interacting with the public,” said the press release.
“With a member of our office running in this election cycle, I felt it important that the Republican party be represented at every opportunity for public interaction,” said Ms. Gardner in the release.
Until this week, the registrars — who are part-time, paid employees of the town — used a split work week schedule, with Ms. Gardner in the office on Monday morning and Thursday and Friday and Ms. Reeves in the office on Monday afternoon and Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ms. Gardner said over the phone Tuesday she was “confident we are doing everything” and that the change was not in response to any lack of confidence in Ms. Reeves.
“I think it’s important the public know we’re not doing anything, on either side of the fence” that is improper, said Ms. Gardner in the interview.
Ms. Reeves said she had no issue with the change being made, but with the nonpartisan nature of how the office is run, it was unnecessary.
“It is not her job to make Republican voters,” said Ms. Reeves of Ms. Gardner. “It is both of our jobs to make new voters.”
She added there were no similar plans for the Democrats to change from their split work week schedule.
“I’ve seen the way Tina operates and she never puts undue pressure on anyone to register with a party,” said Ms. Reeves. “You are not supposed to show what party you belong to.”
Checks and balances
When asked about the allegation of “long-felt concerns,” Mr. Alper said he had been asked by a number of residents to look into the split schedule.
“I’m very happy with Tina for taking a leadership role in this, because clearly her opponent has not taken a leadership role on it. You would think running for office you would want to ensure the integrity of the office,” said Mr. Alper.
He said having two registrars is “done as a mechanism as a check and balance,” and when only one registrar is in the office, representing only one party, “somebody has the ability to persuade.”
“There are voids in that check and balance. This closes that gap. It will go a long way to allaying the concerns expressed to me by members of the public,” said Mr. Alper.
Ms. Reeves said she saw the change as an attack on her.
“My objection is obviously the fact that they are at all questioning my integrity as an election official in this town,” said Ms. Reeves. “No one has ever challenged them before, so the fact that I’m challenging them now, they’re besides themselves,” she said of her race against Ms. Bruschi.
In recent years, the tradition in the state of having both parties check in voters to the polls has fallen away, she said, and now there is only one person doing that.
“So partisanship has gone completely to the wayside, except for, it appears, in this town,” said Ms. Reeves. She added that such partisanship, while “inappropriate,” is practiced only by a few in town.
She also said she believed the change is partially in reaction to Republican dismay over the loss of voters in town affiliated with their party.
“That has nothing to do with this office, but it has everything to do with the eight years of George Bush,” said Ms. Reeves.
Democratic response
John Kalamarides, chair of the Democratic Town Committee, said over the phone Tuesday that while he had no problem with the change, he thought Mr. Alper was “overreacting a bit.”
“There’s never been a problem in that office. I’ve never seen two people work together so well as the Democratic and the Republican registrar of voters. In truth, when Peggy’s not there, I rely on Tina, who I find enormously helpful,” said Mr. Kalamarides.
Mr. Kalamarides later leveled criticism at the Republican Town Committee for the change and said he also saw this as an attack, in a statement made to the Democratic Town Committee on Tuesday night.
“A political party should not be meddling in the business of a nonpartisan office that is sworn to serve fairly all voters in Wilton,” said Mr. Kalamarides. “This is a blatant attempt by the Republicans to disrupt the office of registrar and to discredit a valuable public servant.”
“For 14 years, Peggy Reeves has served as Democratic registrar of voters. She has served as a consultant to the Secretary of State of Connecticut. All she cares about is the voter,” added Mr. Kalamarides.
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