Moore County's registration books lost almost 700 voters in January.

The loss does not reflect a mass exodus, but instead is the result of the list maintenance effort carried out by the elections staff.

When the elections staff tallied registrations for the Feb. 1 posting on the county website, the total was 60,161, down 691 voters since Jan. 1. The loss includes 279 Democrats, 265 Republicans and 150 unaffiliated. The Libertarian Party added three registrants during the month.

Elections Director Glenda Clendenin expects the totals to level off by the end of this month, when her office should have heard from more of the 7,000 inactive voters notified through the list maintenance program.

STATE LAW - Under state law, the board of elections was required to notify registrants who have not voted since before 2008.

Inactive registrants were asked to notify the county office if they had moved from the county, changed address or just not voted. The effort also turns up the names of registrants who have died. A registrant's name is not removed simply because he or she has not voted.

Most of the names dropped from the list in January were people who had moved from the county or had died.

Registration totals as of Feb. 1 were: 25,472 Republicans, 18,093 Democrats, 16,476 unaffiliated, and 120 Libertarians.

DEMOCRATS - Jim Heim, chairman of the Moore County Democratic Party, has announced plans for the annual precinct organizing meetings scheduled between Feb. 28 and March 11.

Precincts will be electing delegates to the county Democratic Convention to be held April 9 at the Moore County Agriculture Center in Carthage.

"Precincts are the building blocks of a strong and vibrant Democratic Party," Heim said. "We need robust precincts to help move our party, our state and our country forward. Only through your work will we elect Democrats who will provide educational opportunities for our children, help for our seniors and disabled, and create jobs."

The following precinct meetings have been scheduled:

n Cameron, 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at the home of Juanita Harbour, 213 Red Hill Road.

n Pinedene, 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at the Southern Pines Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court.

n Robbins, 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at the Davis Community Center, 4788 N.C. 705.

n Eastwood, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Eastwood Fire Department, 980 N.C. 73.

n East and West Aberdeen precincts will hold a joint meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Aberdeen Town Hall, 115 N. Poplar St.

n Pinehurst Precincts A, B1, B2 and C will meet jointly at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501 north of the Traffic Circle.

n Eureka, 6:45 p.m. Monday, March 7, at the Whispering Pines Fire Department, 16 Hardee Lane.

n West End, 6 p.m. Monday, March 7, at Auman Farm, 3140 N.C. 73.

n Little River, 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the Circle V Fire Department, Woodlake Station, 205 Murdock C Road, Vass.

n South Southern Pines, 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave.

n Seven Lakes, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the Seven Lakes Fire Department, 716 Seven Lakes Dr., West End.

PINEHURST A - Republicans in Pinehurst Precinct A will hold their annual meeting Tuesday, March 1, at 5 p.m. at Pinewild Country Club. The agenda will include election of new officers and election of a slate of delegates and alternates for the county convention.

The GOP county convention will be held Saturday, March 12, at Sandhills Community College.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at florence@thepilot.com.