Pulaski County Clerk Pulls 70,000 Inactive Voters From List

The Pulaski County Clerk`s Office says that it has cleared election rolls of more than 70,000 inactive voters, purging nearly one-fourth of the county`s roster. County-Circuit Clerk Carolyn Staley`s office said that in December it mailed voter cards to people who hadn`t voted in several years. Staley`s chief deputy -- Janice Hay -- said the office cut prisoners, parolees, former county residents and deceased registered voters over the past three months. Now more than 70,000 of the county`s 248,000 voters are now either off the rolls or placed on inactive status. However, election officials and county politicians say the real test will come during they May 18th primary. Charles King, a member of the Pulaski County Election Commission, is taking a wait-and-see approach to that election, saying he`s nervous and predicts chaos despite the changes. Staley is to go to trial in April on charges of incompetence and faces possible removal from office. A federal investigation into her office also is pending.