As the newest member of the Fayette County Elections and Voter Registration Board, I recently attended a three-day intensive training workshop sponsored by the Voter Registrars Association of Georgia. I returned with a new appreciation for the work of our county registrars. I had no idea just how complex their work is.

I want to publicly thank Elections Supervisor Tom Sawyer, Elections Officer Brenda Mann, Voter Registration Officer April Crosby, and Elections Clerk Patricia Simmons for their diligence in doing everything in their power to assure free and fair elections in Fayette County. I am impressed by the professionalism, commitment, and personal integrity of every member of the staff.

I have heard educators complain about unfunded mandates, with good reason; but I have now seen what unfunded mandates are doing to our county registrars.

Congress, the Georgia legislature and the courts continuously change the rules on our registrars with no apparent thought regarding the cost to the counties.

The Georgia Election Code requires county government to fund the Registrar’s office. Yet the counties are pinched by rising costs and declining revenues as the economy continues to weaken.

Of course, every department of county government thinks their mission is essential. However, the right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. Free and fair elections are necessary for the public to trust that the political system is working. If the voter arrives at his or her precinct polling station and finds an inefficient system and inadequately trained poll workers, suspicions will arise that his or her vote may not get counted.

I am specifically concerned about the legislated mandate for increased availability of absentee voting without a bona fide reason.

Think about it for a minute. If you mail in an application for an absentee ballot, someone in the elections office has to verify that you are a qualified voter and mail you a ballot. When you return your ballot, someone has to verify that your ballot is valid.

Now think what happens if you vote on Election Day. Whether you vote electronically, mechanically, of with a pencil and paper, your right to vote is promptly verified, you vote quickly, and your vote is efficiently counted at the end of the day; at least most of the time.

Consider the variable cost per ballot between these two methods. The additional cost of the convenience of the absentee ballot is at taxpayers’ expense. So which system would you like to pay for?

If the legitimate concern of expanded absentee balloting is fair access for all voters, isn’t there a more cost-effective way? What about Saturday Election Day? Or mandatory Election Day holiday?

The real burden of the present system falls on the shoulders of the Elections Office staff. There is really no way for them to anticipate the number or the rate of flow of absentee applications. Yet they are mandated to respond to every application within 48 hours of receipt. This inevitably means unpredictably long days.

Imagine telling your family that for 45 days before every election, you have no idea from day to day when you will be home from work.

Tom, Brenda, April, and Patricia all have a strong commitment to serve their community. They assured me that they always welcome a visit or phone call from citizens with any problem with registration or voting. They work long hours without complaint. They regularly solve problems not of their making.

Yet, like most public servants, they get a lot of grief and not much appreciation. Next time you are at the Stonewall Government Complex, go by Suite 208 and say thank you.

Judith Moore

Board Member, Fayette County Elections and Voter Registration

Fairburn (north Fayette County), Ga.

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