RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Electoral Board approved a new general registrar Tuesday night, selecting Keith Balmer to be the city’s top elections official months after firing the person who had served in that role since 1995.
The board voted 2-1 to give Balmer the job, which comes with a four-year term, after issues surrounding the handling of the city’s 2020 elections led to the dismissal of Kirk Showalter, the previous registrar. Jerry Ball Richardson was named acting general registrar in the interim.
Roughly 40 minutes into Tuesday night’s electoral board meeting, the board’s secretary, C. Starlet Stevens, said she was nominating Balmer to replace Showalter. The board’s president, James M. Nachman, asked if there was a second to the motion before saying he would back the motion.
Nachman then called for a vote from the three member board, with him and Stevens approving Balmer’s appointment. Joyce K. Smith, the electoral board’s vice president, voted “no” on Tuesday.
“The motion carries two to one, and Keith Balmer will be our new general registrar,” Nachman said after the vote. Balmer works for the Virginia Department of Elections.
The general registrar’s office handles filings for candidates, voter registrations for the city and coordinates elections.
This story is developing. Stay with 8News for updates.
