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 |