A new voter registrar will begin work in the city Monday.

Susan Saunders, who has experience as an assistant in the Newport News registrar’s office, has been hired to fill the position that has been vacant since August, Electoral Board secretary David Sylvia announced Wednesday.

“I’m sure she’s going to make a very good registrar,” Sylvia said. “With the experience she comes with, it should make the transition for the office much quicker and easier, and get us ready for the November election much sooner.”

Saunders is a Suffolk resident, Sylvia said, as required by state code.

Former registrar Sharon Thornhill left the post Aug. 6 amid controversy. She claimed Sylvia had sent her a sexually inappropriate email, which Sylvia later acknowledged and said was a mistake. He accused her of attempting to use the email as blackmail to get a good performance review.

The email contained photographs of a naked woman having body paint applied to resemble a flower-print bikini. Sylvia has said he meant to send it only to four friends and that Thornhill was not the only unintended recipient.

The vacancy of the registrar’s seat was one basis for an investigation request made by City Council last week. In the missive to Judges Rodham T. Delk Jr. and Carl E. Eason Jr., City Council members claimed they fear the publicity of the dispute and alleged misconduct, together with the open position, created a lack of public confidence.

“The recent publicity coupled with the continued vacancy of the position of the Registrar has led Council by unanimous vote to direct this correspondence,” said the letter, which is signed by Mayor Linda T. Johnson.