In 1997, when I became County Clerk, one of the first things I did was to call all the election judges in Champaign County. One of those calls stands out. I talked with Marge Overmyer who told me that she had served for nearly 50 years as a judge. In fact, her first election was 1948, the year that Dewey defeated Truman Truman defeated Dewey. From that conversation, I came to believe that it was important to show our appreciation for the dedication and hard work of our election judges. That fall, we had a ceremony to honor our judges at Parkland College. That has been followed by picnics every two years that give us a chance to say thanks to our judges.

This past Sunday was our fifth “thank you” event. Over 300 judges and their guests showed up, our largest crowd ever. Here are a few pictures from the event, including one of Marge Overmyer and me as she accepts her certificate for 55 years of service.

Each election, we need approximately 600 election judges. It is never easy to get enough. If you would like to become an election judge, fill out the form on our website. It is a rewarding public service, and critical to the integrity and efficiency of our elections.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS