Public Radio for the Piedmont and High Country
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Candidates Ask State To Take Control Of Rockingham County Board Of Elections

NEAL CHARNOFF/WFDD

A group of political candidates has asked state officials to take over the Rockingham County Board of Elections, following the dismissal of a deputy director.

A mostly Democratic alliance of candidates signed a letter requesting the state take “immediate control” of the county's elections board, saying it's not adequately staffed to run a “fair and trusted” election.

The News & Record reports the Rockingham County board last week dismissed senior deputy director Amy Simpson, further weakening an already short-staffed office.

The decision to oust Simpson, a Democrat, was voted on following a closed session discussion. Board members have not commented on the reason for her dismissal.

The legality of that 4-1 vote was questioned by six of the county's Democratic candidates and one Libertarian.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

Support quality journalism, like the story above,
with your gift right now.

Donate