Dear Editor:

Every election, we as voters get excited about casting our votes, some elections being more interesting than others. This last one was no exception, although next year will be much more dramatic than this past one. Behind the scenes and forced to comply with unbelievable rules, regulations and state required mandates are the local county clerks and their staffs. This past election, the Secretary of State's requirements were changing up until just weeks before the election itself. The heaviest burden falls upon the clerks from smaller counties like Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel and San Juan since they are held to the same standards and rules of the better-funded and larger counties like Jefferson and Douglas.

Long before election day, the clerks were enlisting volunteer election judges; continuously updating voter registration, like changes of address and party affiliation; designing and ordering ballots and outgoing and return envelopes; and, digesting the ever-changing mandates from the Secretary of State.

For mail-in ballots, like this last election, the returned envelopes are scanned into the computers, using bar codes on the outside of the envelope. Signatures are then compared to those on file to be certain that the addressee signed the return envelope and was entitled to cast the vote. While the actual ballots are counted only once by means of an E-scanner, the physical ballots and return envelopes are counted numerous times to be certain that a myriad of security checks and informational requirements are being met. The actual requirements that every clerk, staff and volunteer must comply with are in print a half inch thick.

In the midst of this, there are always unforeseen and unpredictable crises, like vendors putting folds on the bar codes, necessitating 300 duplicate ballots to be prepared and cast, unforeseen supplier problems and unpredictable mechanical difficulties.

We are very fortunate to have Fran Tipton-Long in Montrose County and Michelle Nauer in Ouray County. They are hard working, dedicated public servants in the true sense. Appreciate them and all Colorado county clerks for their work during each election. They make our elective system of government work, although the same cannot always be said of the officials that are elected.

John W. Nelson