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It's appalling that someone could register to vote, run for public office and get elected in Guilford County under a false name.

It's no less outrageous just because the office was a seat on the Soil and Water Conservation Board, a position that pays no salary or benefits. Harm has been done to that board, its members, other candidates and to the integrity of the election system. The lesson should force changes in state law to require more certain voter and candidate identification.

Guilford County voters elected "Kirk Perkins" Nov. 4 over four other candidates for the soil and water seat. That's the same name as the Guilford County commissioner who won re-election in 2008. He was listed on the ballot as C.F. "Kirk" Perkins III.

The other man registered as Kirk Robert Perkins last January with a Greensboro address. He filed as a candidate in June. Later, the Guilford County Board of Elections received information that he had moved to 3021 West English Road in High Point and verified his residence there by mail. However, that is the address of a commercial building, not a residence.

Perkins never claimed his seat, which is considered vacant. Otherwise, no questions might have been raised. The Board of Elections will hold a hearing next month to consider his residency and other issues. Officials now suspect Kirk Perkins isn't his real name. Fraud charges are possible.

He was allowed to file as a candidate because he was a registered voter. No photo identification was required for that. New voters are asked for a driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number and proof of their address, such as a utility bill. Perkins' Social Security number didn't match his name, but that wasn't detected until much later.

George Gilbert, Guilford County's supervisor of elections, thinks state law should require verification of identity when a candidate files to run.

Absolutely. Safeguards must be enacted to prevent this kind of travesty. The integrity of the election system depends on making sure voters and candidates are who they say.