Wichita County names Elections Administrator
Wichita County Commissioners on Monday appointed the county's first ever Elections Administrator.
They appointed Robin Fincannon to the post.
County Judge Jim Johnson said a panel appointed to choose an administrator interviewed three candidates and voted unanimously for Fincannon.
Fincannon was chosen by and is accountable to a newly formed County Elections Commission. By Texas law, that commission consists of the county judge, the county clerk, the county tax appraiser-collector and the chairpersons of the county Democratic and Republican parties. The commissioners’ court retains the power to abolish the position if members decide to do so.
The chairpersons of both parties praised Fincannon, as did Tax Appraiser-Collector Tommy Smyth.
"Robin rose to the top," Smyth said.
Johnson read a statement from the selection panel that said, "Her enthusiasm for elections, as seen in the behind-the-scenes administrative work at the polls was striking."
Robin Fincannon is the wife of Wichita County Commissioner Mickey Fincannon, who was not present Monday and did not participate in the vote to hire his wife.
The statement Johnson read acknowledged the appointment of the spouse of a current county commissioner might cause some consternation, but asked the public to reserve judgment until they've seen the results.
Robin Fincannon's salary will be $70,000 annually, the same as commissioners and several other elected officials or department heads.
Previous elections have been managed by the County Clerk in addition to numerous other responsibilities that come with the office in a county the size of Wichita County. The creation of the new position comes in the wake of considerable criticism over the handling of past elections.
One group of citizens filed a complaint about elections with the Sheriff's Office. The complaints have ranged from criminal acts to sloppy paperwork.
Robin Fincannon worked with the County Clerk's Office in tracking down ballots and election materials when the complaints emerged.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Wichita County names Elections Administrator
