Democrat Marie Hall announced Jan. 18 that she'll challenge incumbent Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger in the Democratic primary.

Reisinger was appointed to the position last year by party officials after longtime Register of Deeds Otto DeBruhl retired. DeBruhl had wanted the party to appoint his longtime assistant, JoAnn Morgan, to the position, but they decided on Reisinger after rancorous deliberations.

In the press release announcing her run, Hall touts her experience working under DeBruhl. Here it is in its entirety:

MARIE M. HALL ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR REGISTER OF DEEDS

Marie M. Hall, long-time Executive Assistant and Administrative Officer in the Buncombe County Register of Deeds office, announced today that she is running for the seat held by Otto DeBruhl until his retirement in 2011. 

Hall said, “I am proud to have worked with Mr. DeBruhl for nearly 11 years.   He ran the Buncombe County Register of Deeds office with great efficiency for more than 33 years.  Under his guidance, I learned how to manage the complex system of recording, preserving and protecting information that is critical to the people of our county.  That includes the history of land transactions such as deeds and surveys, as well as birth, death and marriage records, right-of-way agreements, notary public commissions and other critical documents entrusted to our care.

Mr. DeBruhl’s goal was always to keep those records safe, secure and accessible to the public in compliance with state law while providing outstanding service to everyone who came to our office seeking information or assistance.  My goals are the same.  Otto DeBruhl was my mentor, and I am proud to have learned from the very best!”

On the administrative side, Ms. Hall was responsible for updating policy manuals and employee benefits packages; assisting with budget preparation and payroll; and organizing special projects such as educational workshops for the North Carolina Register of Deeds Association.  She coordinated the association’s annual conferences held in Asheville in 2000 and 2008.  She was a key part of the team that prepared the office for secure electronic filing of documents, which was launched in 2011.

An active volunteer in her community, Ms. Hall has been involved in several political campaigns, including those for President Obama; President Bill Clinton; Congressman Heath Shuler; Governor Perdue; NC Senator Martin Nesbitt; NC House members Susan Fisher and Jane Whilden; Sheriff Van Duncan; County Commission Chair David Gantt; county commissioners Carol Peterson, Bill Stanley and K. Ray Bailey; Clerk of Court Steven Cogburn and District Attorney Ron Moore.  In addition, she is serving as a member of Mission Foundation’s Kids Against Hunger Advisory Board and the Salvation Army’s Boys and Girls club’s Advisory Board.  She has served as a United Way representative and donated 1000 hours of service to the local American Red Cross.  As a nurse, she served with Biltmore Baptist Church’s Medical Mission and EMS teams.  She is a fellow with Leadership Asheville – an organization that seeks to identify and address the needs of the community.  Also she helped to organize and served as treasurer for the successful Citizen-Soldier Support Program to welcome home the 391st Army Reserve Unit when it returned from Afghanistan in 2006.

The public is invited to a Kick-off event for Marie’s campaign February 21st Tuesday, 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. in the central promenade of Pack Place, located in downtown Asheville at 2 South Pack Square.