There are so many people who make our elections work, but most of us never see them.
We see the candidates on our ballots, the signs in our neighborhoods, and the lines at the polls. What we don’t always see are the people behind the scenes who spend months preparing for Election Day, answering questions, processing registrations and absentee ballots, testing equipment, training poll workers, and making sure our elections are conducted fairly and securely.
That is why Election Hero Day, today, Oct. 20, is such a meaningful opportunity to say thank you. As president of the League of Women Voters of Bowling Green, I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from many of these election heroes. I am especially grateful to the Wood County Board of Elections staff, who work tirelessly to serve every voter.
Recently, the league hosted Wood County Board of Elections Directors Terry Burton and Julie Baumgardner for a community conversation about election security. At a time when there is so much concern and confusion surrounding our elections, it was an important conversation.
Terry and Julie didn’t shy away from difficult questions. They explained the many safeguard built into our election process, including bipartisan oversight, testing of voting equipment, paper trails, and physical and cybersecurity protections. But what struck me most was something much simpler: they care.
They care about getting it right. They care about every voter. And they understand that public trust in our elections is just as important as the mechanics of running them. Election workers don’t choose which candidates win. They don’t decide how we vote. Their job is to make sure we get to make those decisions.
So, on Election Hero Day, thank you to Terry, Julie, and the entire Wood County Board of Elections staff. Thank you to the poll workers and poll monitors who give their time to serve their neighbors. And thank you to everyone who quietly does the work of making our democracy function. We may not know all of your names, but we benefit from your work every time we cast a ballot. Thank you for being worthy of our trust.
Sharlyn Katzner
President, League of Women Voters of Bowling Green
