Willie Mae Kilgore: Registrar for All the People or Just Some of Them?

The article asks the following questions:

But what if the mother who contributes thousands of dollars to the campaigns of her two sons, plus some money to the party they represent, is also a local election official responsible for registering voters, handling absentee ballots and overseeing the operations of elections?

Is that a conflict of interest?

Sure seems like it.

Let's be clear: the problem isn't that Willie Mae Kilgore has made more than $8,000 in political contributions since 1996.  It is not illegal for a registrar of voters to contribute to a campaign or a party in Virginia, although a manual for registrars published by the state Board of Elections advises against the practice.  Nor is it illegal that Willie Mae gave nearly all of those contributions to her son Jerry, with $300 also going to Jerry's twin brother Terry, who represents the very county (Scott) where Willie Mae is Registrar of Voters.  However, the manual clearly states:

While the law does not imply that a registrar must be apolitical, it strongly implies that the registrar should do nothing -- other than voting -- that presents the public appearance of favoring one candidate over another.

In other words, Willie Mae is more than willing to risk the appearance of favoritism.  Why would she do that?  Obviously, because it is more important for her to contribute money to her sons' campaigns than it is to appear impartial in her officially neutral position as Scott County Registrar of Voters.  The problem is, all this makes one wonder what else Willie Mae Kilgore might be willing to do to get her sons elected. 

Meanwhile, according to the Times:

Last month, a report issued by the Commission on Federal Election Reform was critical of the widespread practice of having election officials with party ties or candidate loyalties in charge of a process it called "the heart of democracy."

Even worse, according to the Times, "Willie Mae Kilgore is one of just two registrars -- out of 134 statewide -- who contributed $100 or more to a campaign over the past nine years."  In other words, most Voter Registrars in Virginia concur that such contributions are not proper.  Fairfax County Registrar Jackie Harris, former president of the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia, is quoted by the Times, "We tend to avoid things like that like the plague."

Supporting a family member is one thing.  However,  as the Times points out, "the $120 Kilgore gave to the Republican Party is another matter."  As Mark Rozell, public policy professor at George Mason University explains:

It's not the amount.  It's the fact that person has crossed over the line and publicly become associated with the interests of one political party over the other. That's the rub.

The article points out another bit of intrigue:

As attorney general in 2003, [Jerry] Kilgore was asked to clarify the extent to which election officials can participate in political activities. 

In an opinion requested by an Albermarle County Electoral Board member, Kilgore wrote that electoral board members and registrars should act in a nonpartisan fashion while performing their official duties.

Hmmm...

Unfortunately, as Rex McCarty (running against incumbent Terry Kilgore) correctly points out, "[Willie Mae Kilgore] has shown time and time again that she is a Republican and not a neutral player in the game."  The problem is, a Registrar of Voters supposed to represent ALL the people, not just the Republicans.

Of course, the Kilgores and their supporters will dismiss all these questions and concerns as whining by a bunch of liberals.  That's what they always do when they don't have the facts on their side - ad hominem attacks.  However, I would point out that, when questions about the Scott County registrar's office first surfaced last year during a disputed Gate City town election, the Kilgores similarly dismissed the complaints as partisan potshots.  And guess what?  Since that time, 37 felony count indictments have been handed down against former Gate City Mayor Charles Dougherty, Jr.. 

And the investigation obviously isn't finished yet, considering that some of those indictments were for conspiracy.  Lawrence Haake, president of the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia, points out that, legally, conspiracy cannot take place unless more than one person is involved.  It seems that Mr. Haake may have unintentionally hinted at where this case is headed, when he stated:

"But the reality is that she's not operating in a vacuum. ... Willie Mae Kilgore couldn't throw the election to her sons if she wanted to unless everyone in the process joined her in that conspiracy."

What an interesting suggestion.  Thank you Mr. Haake, for mentioning it.

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