History

Electoral Board and Office of Elections Time Line

Although historical records indicate that the Arlington County Electoral Board has been in existence for at least 100 years, detailed Board minutes only date back to 1959. Prior to the establishment of the central registrar position in 1947 by state law, individuals who wanted to register to vote had to seek out their designated precinct registrar, often at the registrar’s home and at the registrar’s convenience. The central registrar, later named general registrar, position established a central government-run location for voter registration.

The following brief time line was compiled from available records. Electoral Board members are appointed by the Circuit Court, and the General Registrar, as of 2015 also known as Director of Elections, is appointed by the Electoral Board.

Note that recent changes in the membership of the Electoral Board are due to changes in the party of the current Governor, since the majority of members on the Board must represent the Governor’s party. If the member up for reappointment after a new Governor takes office represents the party of the previous Governor, that member must rotate off the Board when his or her term expires so a member of the new Governor’s party may be appointed.

 

Year Event
1947 Mary Thompson becomes Arlington’s first appointed Central (later General) Registrar.
1959 Maynard M. Carlisle, Denman T. Rucker and Ralph Kimble serve on the Electoral Board.
1968 Maynard Carlisle dies on August 30 after having served on the Electoral Board for 30 years. William B. Moore is appointed to replace him.
1969 William B. Moore resigns on April 10 to run for the U.S. House of Delegates. William B. O’Connell, Jr. is appointed to replace him.
1971 Mike Hage , who replaces Denman T. Rucker, is appointed to the Electoral Board.
1973 Mary Thompson retires as General Registrar, and the Electoral Board appoints Peggy Wilkinson to replace her.
1982 Margo Horner, who replaces Ralph Kimble, is appointed to the Electoral Board.
1985 Peggy Wilkinson retires as General Registrar, and the Electoral Board appoints Charlotte Cleary to replace her.
1987 Charlene Bickford and Allen H. Harrison, Jr., who replace Margo Horner and Mike Hage respectively, are appointed to the Electoral Board.
1989 Fred Berghoefer, who replaces William B. O’Connell, Jr., is appointed to the Electoral Board.
1994 Scott McGeary, who replaces Charlene Bickford, is appointed to the Electoral Board.
2003 Charlene Bickford, who replaces Scott McGeary, is appointed to the Electoral Board.
Charlotte Cleary retires as General Registrar, and the Electoral Board appoints Linda Lindberg to replace her.
2009 Fred Berghoefer retires from the Electoral Board, and David Bell is appointed to replace him.
2011 Scott McGeary, who replaces David Bell, is appointed to the Electoral Board.
2014 David Bell, who replaces Scott McGeary, is appointed to the Electoral Board.
2016 Allen Harrison retires from the Electoral Board, and Scott McGeary is appointed to replace him.
2019 Linda Lindberg retires as General Registrar, and the Electoral Board appoints Gretchen Reinemeyer to replace her.
 2020 Kimberly Phillip, who replaces Charlene Bickford, is appointed to the Electoral Board.
 2022 Richard Samp, who replaces Matthew Weinstein, is appointed to the Electoral Board. 
 2023 Dominick Schirripa, who replaces Scott McGeary, is appointed to the Electoral Board. 

 

Electoral Board Members Tenure Years Served
Dominick Schirripa 2023-Present <1
Richard Samp 2023-Present <1
Kimberly Phillip 2021-Present 2
W. Scott McGeary 2016-2023 6 + (total 15; see below)
Matthew J Weinstein  2020-2022 3
David A. Bell 2014-2020 6 + (total 6.3; see below)
W. Scott McGeary 2011-2014 3 (see above and below)
David A. Bell 2009-2011 1.3 (see above)
Charlene Bickford 2003-2020 16 + (total 23; see below)
W. Scott McGeary 1994-2003 9 (see above)
Fred Berghoefer 1989-2009 20
Allen H. Harrison, Jr. 1987-2016 29
Charlene Bickford 1987-1994 7 (see above)
Margo Horner 1982-1987 5
Mike Hage 1971-1987 16
William B. O’Connell, Jr. 1969-1989 20
William B. Moore 1968-1969 <1
Ralph Kimble Pre-1959-1982 >23
Denman T. Rucker Pre-1959-1971 >12
Maynard M. Carlisle Pre-1959-1968 30

 

General Registrars Tenure Years Served
Gretchen Reinemeyer 2019-Present >3
Linda Lindberg 2003-2019 16
Charlotte Cleary 1985-2003 18
Peggy Wilkinson 1973-1985 12
Mary Thompson 1947-1973 26