Election Board axes poll worker position
The Adams County Election Board approved an official ballot for the 2023 primary election as well as setting dates and times for early and absentee voting during its monthly meeting Thursday at the Adams County Courthouse Election Room.
Perhaps the biggest act of the day, however, came as board members Wes Kuntzman, J. Swygart, and Shelly Brite eliminated the position of “sheriff” from the poll workers at the election and moved the few duties that person had to the inspector.
Brite, who is also the Adams County Clerk, pointed out the decision is good for just one year as state law says the elimination of a poll worker position must be done annually if it’s going to happen. Duties of the “sheriff” were not numerous the board noted saying the person would make sure no “electioneering” is going on and in the past would be in charge of a poll book so if a county chairman or other authorized official came to a poll to see who had voted, they could check the poll book.
The position of “judge,” “clerk,” and “inspector” will remain so there will be five poll workers at each site. The Board also suggested that county political chairmen have several alternates available in case of last minute emergencies.
Decatur will be the only site in Adams County to conduct a primary election this year since they have three primary races for City Council and one for Clerk-Treasurer. The Board established Saturday, April 29 as the day for early voting in person and that will be held at the Bridge Community Church on Winchester Road from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. In the past, there have been two days of early voting.
For the primary election on Tuesday, May 2, the Board established voting sites at the K of C Hall on High Street and the Bridge Church with usual voting times of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. That resolution, which according to state law must be passed unanimously, was done so on a 3-0 vote.
The trio reviewed a proposed ballot of candidates for the primary election to be submitted to the computer company that prepares the voting machines. Only a brief discussion over whether or not to include the middle initial of candidate Tyler Fullenkamp for second district City Council was held and the ballot was then approved.
Cassy Hammond, the clerk’s office employee in charge of running the election along with Brite, announced absentee ballots requested by voters can start to be mailed out as of March 18 and that process will continue through April 25. As long as an absentee ballot is received by the clerk’s office by 6 p.m. on May 2, the day of the election, it will be counted. The clerk’s office will be open for business as usual that day.
Persons may also come to the Clerk’s office in person to vote during regular business hours April 17-21 and April 24-28. On April 29, the Saturday before the election, they may do so from 8 a.m. until noon and on May 1 from 8 a.m. to noon.
Under old business, the Board discussed the on-going dilemma with the Union Township Advisory Board. It was noted that newly elected members Eric Miller and David Gerber have not yet taken their oath of office so any action – if any – that board has made this year would probably be null and void. The Clerk’s office will continue its effort to contact the individuals to make arrangement to comply as the deadline to take the oath was January 31.
Hammond announced that candidates who were delinquent in filing their campaign financial statements have all now done so eliminating any possibility of fines being issued by the Board.
The Board also approved Pam Cook and Claudia Gimbel to assist them as proxies for initialing of ballots during the election.
The traveling county election board will make a one day visit to the Woodcrest Nursing Center in Decatur to let voters who reside there to cast ballots on either April 27 or 28.