ELECTIONS: Good ones leaving

I was shocked to read Grace Studer’s letter stating that she was leaving the election office. I have known Grace for years, having worked the elections as a Chief Judge for 17 years. Grace was always pleasant and helpful and provided the staffing for all of the precincts, which is not an easy job. Over the past several months, she took on more and more duties as more and more of the regular staff (Kerry, Megan and Judd) left. I never heard her complain. Grace not only did the staffing, she organized and provided the supply boxes for us at the polling places. They were the best they have ever been at this last election. She also taught the poll worker classes, first with Judd and then by herself this last time. One day she was here and the next she was gone!

I wonder why there is such turnover at the elections. Goodness knows the poll workers need guidance, support, stability and familiar faces in order to do their jobs effectively. It is a job that requires accuracy and organization and I’m sure there are two sides to every story, but Grace’s sudden departure is very upsetting. This next year we will have elections that will require a lot of work at each of the precincts and we need assurance that there will be staff who will be there for us to teach and guide us and also to provide adequate staffing of the precincts so that we can be effective on those long 13-14 hour days.

Good luck Grace. You will be missed!

KATHI DAVID

Chief Judge Precinct 17

Rathdrum