Chattooga’s Chief Registrar Is Retiring Tomorrow

Chattooga County Chief Registrar Elaine Pledger is retiring tomorrow.
She has been the chief registrar for the past 10 years.
“The county and all of its voters have been extraordinarily nice and respectful to me. I will miss seeing everyone especially during early voting,” she said.
The local resident has overseen a few changes with the registrar’s office. She was around when it moved from inside the courthouse to its new location on Commerce Street (adjacent to the courthouse).
“We moved not long after I became a registrar,” she said.
Pledger also helped to oversee the changing computer system and the way voter registration is handled. When she first started, the state was allowing people to early vote 45 days before an election. That has now changed to 15 days.
“We also saw Saturday voting. The last several elections they started voting on a Saturday,” she said. “I will miss all the faces. It’s kind of like going to Walmart, you get to visit everybody. We always love for people to come.”
Pledger plans to travel, visit shut-ins, visit her daughters, work her in the garden and stay active with her church — South Summerville Baptist Church.
Pledger’s work experience includes years at Dr. Gary Smith’s office in Trion and as a bookkeeper with a company in Chattanooga.
“I’ve thought about retiring for a year. I have been tossing it around in my mind for about a year,” she said. “As I look back, it’s been a great experience. . . I’ve always tried to treat people like I would want to be treated. I’ll miss all the people.”
Filling Pledger’s position will be decided by a grand jury. They will receive recommendations from local judges.
“I’m not sure who is going to be filling my position,” Pledger said.