EDITORIAL: Thank you, local elections officials

Published 10:57 am Wednesday, October 28, 2020

We are less than a week away from Election Day, but well before Tuesday, Nov. 3, a group of often unheralded people has been in the trenches working hard to ensure that our votes are cast without a hitch. 

In this year of COVID-19, record-setting mail-in ballot numbers, quarantines and new voting systems, Baldwin County’s poll workers and the employees at the elections office have stepped up to meet the voting demand. Already, we’ve witnessed a record number of absentee ballot requests and early voters in Baldwin County, not to mention the turnout for Saturday voting. These people have worked incredibly hard to overcome challenges beyond their control to ensure a safe and orderly voting process. Not to mention the poll workers who have stepped up, particularly this year. Even before the pandemic, election officials in many communities often struggled to attract poll workers and this year has been critical. 

With seniors at higher risk for serious complications from the novel coronavirus and transmission rates growing at alarming rates around the country, election officials and advocates have devoted serious resources over the past several months toward replenishing their ranks of poll workers.

They have worked to answer questions that citizens have about the process and helped local voters get acclimated to the new voting machines. With a record number of local eligible voters, they’ve also no doubt assisted many first-time voters who are completely new to the process. Amid the pandemic, they’ve also assisted elderly voters and many others who likely never before voted absentee and aren’t familiar with that process. 

With an unprecedented number of ballots cast absentee and a record number of electors expected to vote in person, poll workers are critical to everything running smoothly on Election Day.

We’re sure there is plenty left still to do to reduce the odds of chaos next Tuesday, but local elections officials deserve kudos for early voting going so smoothly thus far. 

Remember that we can continue to help do our part and help them to do their jobs by voting early and exercising patience with the process.

Thank you for helping ensure that our votes are cast safely and securely. 

Thank you for upholding this sacred democratic process and for taking this responsibility so seriously. 

Thank you for all that you do.