Visitor from the Pioneer Valley

Yesterday we were visited by Mary Olberding, the Register of Deeds-elect for Hampshire County.  She will take office on January 2, 2013 along with four other newly elected Registers (Paul Iannuccillo in Essex North, Maria Curtatone in Middlesex South, Scott Cote in Franklin, and Patricia Harris in Berkshire Middle).  The Hampshire Registry District consists of the following communities (with the population of each indicated):

1. Amherst - 37,819
2. Northampton - 28,549
3. South Hadley - 17,514
4. Easthampton - 15,994
5. Belchertown - 14,649
6. Ware - 9,707
7. Granby - 6,420
8. Southampton - 5,387
9. Hadley - 4,793
10. Hatfield - 3,249
11. Williamsburg - 2,482
12. Huntington - 2,174
13. Westhampton - 1,607
14. Pelham - 1,403
15. Worthington 1,270
16. Chesterfield - 1,201
17. Goshen - 1,054
18. Cummington - 978
19. Plainfield - 589
20. Middlefield - 542

The Registry of Deeds is located in Northampton.  A vacancy in the office of Register of Deeds was created in 2011 when Marianne Donohue, who had held the position for 22 years, announced her retirement.  Her assistant register, Patricia Plaza, was appointed to complete Donohue's term but Plaza chose not to seek the office in the 2012 state election.  Olberding won a close Democratic primary against two other candidates and then defeated an unenrolled candidate in the November election.