Richmond General Registrar Keith Balmer resigned Wednesday following a report that cited 25 instances of abuse, fraud and waste by leadership and employees in the Richmond Office of Elections.

“The buck stops here, stops with me,” Balmer said Wednesday afternoon while announcing his decision at the Office of Elections. “The citizens of this city need a registrar who follows city guidelines.” 

“That is where my office has fallen short, and I take full responsibility for that.”

Balmer submitted his resignation earlier that day during a closed session of a Richmond Electoral Board meeting at City Hall that lasted more than three hours. The board unanimously accepted his decision once the session ended.

The closed session saw board members and Balmer discuss a report released last week by the office of Richmond Inspector General James Osuna detailing multiple allegations of misconduct by Balmer and his staff.

Balmer will continue to serve as Registrar until Tuesday, Dec. 31.

 Richmond Registrar Keith Balmer hugs a staff member at the Richmond Elections office after resigning during a closed-door session of the Richmond Electoral Board.
 

The report confirmed 25 allegations made by former election office employees, who also accused Balmer and Deputy General Registrar Jerry Richardson of nepotism in their hiring practices. Those allegations were investigated and confirmed by the Richmond Department of Human Resources in an earlier, separate investigation.

Richardson resigned from her position earlier, according to the board, effective Friday, Dec. 6.

Among the allegations substantiated by the report was a high amount of wasteful spending, with the office cited with almost $500,000 for purchases of high-quality furniture and art for the elections office, paying employees’ college tuition, a private security team and other items.

Balmer acknowledged that some aspects of the report were accurate while challenging others. He characterized the issues cited in the report as the result of a lack of understanding of city policies and “administrative sloppiness.”

While Balmer noted his 11 years of experience with elections before taking on the job, he pointed to a lack of training as a key factor behind the issues with city policy, and said he relied on Richardson to assist him in office operations and decisions.

“I didn’t have that experience,” Balmer said. “I always was in the belief that we were doing things correctly because that was the guidance I received.”

Balmer was selected as General Registrar in 2021, succeeding Kirk Showalter in the role. Showalter’s exit from the Office of Elections followed controversy, complaints and a lawsuit over her handling of the 2020 general election, with the Electoral Board voting to remove her from a position she held for 25 years.

The hours leading up to Balmer’s resignation took several odd turns, with board members opting to meet in the Department of Public Works conference room on the 7th floor instead of their typical location in the elections office.

Security removed press and members of the public from the seventh floor when the meeting’s closed session began, moving them to the first floor. They were allowed back to the seventh-floor lobby after about an hour, following objections from reporters.

According to board members, Balmer’s choice to resign was one they suggested during the meeting’s closed session. Other details of his resignation such as severance pay are still being determined.

“The citizens of Richmond deserve to have an elections office that’s run efficiently,” Electoral Board Chair Starlet Stevens said. “It does have some good employees and I have faith in them, and we will find a replacement.”

The board will discuss the next steps to replace Balmer in future meetings. While its oversight of the registrar is limited, members said they will offer suggestions with a major focus on budgetary responsibility.

In addition to publishing his formal resignation, Balmer also intends to release a rebuttal to the report, believing that there are “some inaccuracies and inconsistencies” that should be corrected. 

“This is not likely the last time you’ll hear of Keith Balmer,” he said. “I look forward to seeing what the future holds for me, and I’m excited to find that out.”