June 14, 2008
WBZ TV
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) New Hampshire’s Supreme Court says Belknap County selected its sheriff illegally last year.
The court overturned the Belknap County Convention’s choice of Craig Wiggin, who was selected to fill out the term of the retiring sheriff, because he was chosen by secret ballot and not in a public vote.
On the advice of County Attorney Jim Carroll, Wiggin stepped aside Friday afternoon. Carroll said if Wiggin remained in office, there would be questions about his authority as a law officer and put the county at risk for his actions.
Carroll says to make things legal, the county’s elected officials would have to convene a public meeting where Wiggin could be appointed following the court order.
Justices said the secret ballot violated the Right-to-Know law because the sheriff’s job is an elected position. Justices also ordered county officials to make public the applications, recommendation letters and score sheets for each of the seven people who applied for the sheriff’s vacancy.
Without the information, the court said the public would have no way to assess the votes of their representatives.
Information from: The Laconia Daily Sun