The makeup of the Moore County Board of Elections changed Tuesday with a new member and a new chairman.

Ansol E. Graham was elected chairman during a meeting held following a swearing-in ceremony. Susan T. Adams was re-elected as secretary.

New member Carolyn M. McDermott made the motion to nominate Graham for the chairmanship, Adams made the second, and the vote was unanimous. Graham then nominated Adams for secretary with a second by McDermott.

Elections Director Glenda Clendenin called the meeting to order and presided until Graham was elected.

Megan Owrey, clerk to the Board of Commissioners, administered the oath of office to all three members prior to the meeting.

Graham succeeds Mary M. Pope, who recently retired after serving 27 years on the board, including 16 as chairwoman. McDermott was appointed to fill the vacancy on the board.

Mary Pope did not attend the swearing-in ceremony, but she received accolades just the same.

"She was a very wise lady," Graham said. "She's a wonderful person and a good leader."

Graham recalled her advice that board members' "politics cease to exist" when they walk through the doors of the elections office.

McDermott and Graham are appointees of the Democratic Party. Adams is the Republican appointee. Under state law, local boards are composed of two members from the party of the governor, and a third member is from the other party. The local registration is not taken into consideration.

Bob Levy, chairman of the Moore County Republican Party, also praised Pope and the elections board in comments to The Pilot after the ceremony. He said the Moore County board has always conducted elections fairly without showing partisan leanings.

Both Levy and Jim Heim, chairman of the Moore County Democratic Party, were among those attending the brief ceremony held in the lobby of the elections building in Carthage.

The board will meet again on Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. to appoint precinct officials. This is a legally required meeting.

During the meeting, Clendenin advised board members of their schedule, which includes a tour of polling places at a time to be determined. They will travel to Raleigh Sept. 1-2 for training at the State Board of Elections office.

The oath of office will be administered to precinct officials on Sept. 21.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 693-2479 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.