Mathews County’s election officials honored Leslie C. Willis on Monday afternoon as he retired after serving 25 years on the Mathews County Electoral Board. His service included 21 years as chairman.

The ceremony in the historic courthouse included a reception, presentation of an engraved clock, and remarks.

Ruth Ann Hutson, county registrar, noted that during Willis’s term of service, the county has had three registrars (Harriett Hudgins, Jeanette Tomlinson and herself); seen its electorate grow from 4,720 to 6,800 registered voters; moved from 700-pound mechanical voting machines to the current lightweight, computerized touch-screen machines; and entrusted him and his board and officials "to conduct elections honestly and fairly," regardless of which political party is in power.

Bert Cross, vice chairman of the electoral board, commented on the years he has known the Willis family and its dedication to public service (Leslie Willis’s wife Wilnet wa...