General Registrar
July 25, 2022
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA — Missy Vera was sworn in Monday morning as Chesterfield’s new general registrar and director of elections.
Vera had held the position on an acting basis since March, when Constance Hargrove resigned to become general registrar in Pima County, Ariz.
Following Hargrove’s departure, Chesterfield’s electoral board conducted a formal recruitment process before selecting Vera from a field of candidates.
Per the Code of Virginia, Vera will serve out the remainder of Hargrove’s four-year term, which ends in 2023, then she can be reappointed by the electoral board for another four years.
“The electoral board is pleased that Missy Vera is our new registrar in Chesterfield,” said Caroline Emmons, chair of the three-member panel. “Our citizens will be well served by her expertise, as well as her leadership and professionalism. We look forward to working with her to ensure that Chesterfield continues to have free and fair elections.”
The general registrar and director of elections oversees voter registration and administers elections in Chesterfield, managing a staff of full-time employees and paid election officers who work at polling places across the county.
Vera has more than 15 years of management experience in the private and public sectors.
She joined the registrar’s office in January 2017, then rose quickly through the ranks from assistant registrar to elections manager before being promoted to deputy registrar in November 2019.
As acting registrar, Vera collaborated with the county’s Information Systems Technology Department on enhancements to Chesterfield Election Reporting (CHER) software to comply with new legislation requiring that absentee ballots are reported separately by precinct for the first time this year.
“I’m humbled by the responsibility the electoral board has entrusted to me,” Vera said. “Free and fair elections are the foundation of America’s representative republic. Our staff and election officers work tirelessly to ensure that all eligible voters in Chesterfield can cast their ballots and have them counted properly. It’s truly an honor to be chosen to lead this office and serve alongside these dedicated professionals.”
