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Nov. 10, 2023 Editor, The News-Gazette: I served as the local Republican Party’s official observer (“poll watcher”) at the Lexington precinct for the eight-hour morning shift this past Election Day. In this time of often-credible evidence of electoral malfeasance, I am pleased to report that I neither witnessed nor had reason to suspect the least lapse in ethical conduct on the part of any election officers on duty that day.
I was especially impressed and pleased by these electionsecurity factors: * Every voter provided identification when asked, and voter identity was confirmed in the pollbook within seconds as each voter checked in.
* The polling place on the ground floor of the Piovano Building was secure: no unattended entrances, no rooms behind closed doors, effective management of voters waiting to check in (more than one arriving per minute on average), ample privacy for voters to mark and cast their ballots.
* Chain of custody of ballots was never in question, even when voters spoiled a ballot or election staff helped handicapped people vote from their cars at curbside.
* My Democrat counterpart and I were given access to all spaces and procedures.
* The election staff was experienced, alert, mature, and goodhumored; there were enough staff on hand to allow immediate resolution of questions. Chief Election Officer Plinio Beres ran a flawless and attentive operation.
Election integrity appears to be a problem in too many places around the country. But the citizens of Lexington can rest assured of the integrity of elections here at home.
DAVID G. MULLER JR. Lexington
