Kristin Judge

In a press release this morning, Judge said she is resigning Oct. 9 to avoid a possible conflict of interest as a result of her new job.

Judge will work for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, a division of the national not-for-profit Center for Internet Security, headquartered in Upstate New York.

“My new position will focus on outreach efforts and will involve working with local governments across the nation,” Judge said in the statement.

“In my current role as county commissioner, I have been in involved in cyber security initiatives at the local, state and federal level. To avoid an appearance of conflict between my role as commissioner and my new position, it is best served that I resign from elected office before beginning work with local governments across the country."

The Center for Internet Security works to improve the cyber security readiness of public and private sector entities, according to the release.

Judge said she does not plan to move out of Washtenaw County.

Judge, a Democrat from Pittsfield Township, represents District 7. She was elected to the board in 2008 and re-elected in 2010.

The commissioners will have 30 days to appoint a replacement. Judge's term expires in 2012. The replacement will serve until a new commissioner is elected to serve the remainder of her term at a special election in May, election director Matt Yankee said this morning.

A primary to choose Democratic and Republican nominees for that election will be held Feb. 28, he said. The Republican presidential primary is also expected to be that day. That election is likely to be a closed primary, only for people who want to ask for a Republican ballot. The commissioners election is an open primary, meaning people running in both parties appear on the ballot, but voters are allowed to vote in only the Republican or Democratic race. It's not yet clear how ballots will be printed to accommodate both primaries.

Judge is co-chariing the upcoming Cyber Security Summit, that has drawn national attention from the White House. The event is Oct. 7 at the Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest.

Judge was first thrust into the local political spotlight when she and other residents of Pittsfield Township opposed the construction of a Walmart in the township. The store opened in 2009.