Politics & Government

Former County GOP Chairman To Be Watauga Elections Director

More than 400 people voted within the first six hours of early voting Thursday at the on-campus student union at Appalachian State University. WFDD photo by Paul Garber

There's a new head of elections in Watauga County, and not everyone is happy with the pick.

In a 2-1 vote, the Watauga County Board of Elections last week chose Matt Snyder to be their next elections director, according to the Watauga Democrat newspaper. Snyder is a familiar face in Watauga politics – he was the GOP party chairman from 2011 to 2013.

County Democrats have railed against the pick. On their Web site, they posted a resolution in opposition of Snyder's hiring, saying he has little experience in running elections and was chosen without a formal candidate search and without the job being advertised.

It's not the first controversial decision for the Watauga board in recent years. Last year, a flurry of legal maneuverings followed the board's decision to close a popular early-voting precinct on the campus of Appalachian State University. The courts ultimately decided to keep the precinct open.

Snyder will replace long-time elections director Jane Ann Hodges, who is retiring in June.

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