The last Camden Register

Another story on the office of Register of Deeds and Mortgages comes from Camden County, where Republicans scored an upset victory in 1990.  The Democratic incumbent, Robert Yost, did not seek re-election.  The GOP was strengthened by the tax increases of the Democratic governor, Camden hometown hero Jim Florio.  Republican Susan Rose, advocating the elimination of the Register post, defeated Democrat Linda Rohrer.

Working with Rose, Assemblyman John Rocco (R-Cherry Hill) sponsored legislation to repeal the 1875 legislation that created the Camden County Register of Deeds and Mortgages.  It was passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by GOP Gov. Christine Todd Whitman.

With her office eliminated and Democratic County Clerk Michael Keating ousted following his conviction in a case involving bogus ballot printing contracts, Rose ran for County Clerk in 1995.  She lost narrowly to James Beach (D-Voorhees), who held the post until his election to the State Senate earlier this year.

The end of the Register era coincided with the state takeover of the county courts, which removed the responsibility of maintaining court documents out of the County Clerk's office.  Rose's initiative allowed the Camden County Clerk to add deeds and mortgages to their portfolio.

Union and Passaic counties followed Camden by eliminating the Register post in the 1990's.  Only Essex and Hudson still elect county Registers.