{"id":82423,"date":"2024-10-15T14:48:17","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T19:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=82423"},"modified":"2024-10-15T15:46:26","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T20:46:26","slug":"county-clerk-debate-addresses-election-integrity-and-voter-turnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=82423","title":{"rendered":"County Clerk debate addresses election integrity and voter turnout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By RORY MOORE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday’s Ellis County Clerk election forum featured a debate between incumbent and current County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling of the Republican Party and challenger Laura Allen of the Democratic Party. The debate was hosted at the Hays Public Library and allowed constituents to learn about the candidates\u2019 positions on varying matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dreiling, who has been in office since 2021, highlighted her work as county clerk and touted the electoral process in Ellis County in her opening remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Dreiling touted her tenure as County Clerk, the security of elections in Ellis County, and the use of paper ballots.
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\u201cIn the last three and a half years, I\u2019ve proven I can run a great office,\u201d she said. \u201cOur elections have been free, fair, secure, and everything I\u2019ve done that goes along with being a clerk, setting values in June, setting taxes in November, I\u2019ve done that with 100% accuracy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allen, who previously ran as a write-in candidate in 2020, rebuked Dreiling\u2019s stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you look at our election statistics, more often than not in Ellis County, races are uncontested,\u201d she said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t seem like much of an election to me, and activities like this are made impossible. I don\u2019t think that just knowing what\u2019s happening now is something that can\u2019t be done in the future. Change is not always bad, and sometimes, to grow, we have to change a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the questions-and-answers portion of the debate, both candidates were asked about the priorities for the County Clerk position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Clerk\u2019s office doesn\u2019t always focus solely on elections,\u201d Dreiling said. “Other priorities are setting the values because those values go out to every taxing entity in Ellis County so they can figure their budgets for the coming year. When I set the levy in November, those things affect every taxpayer, and if those statements go out and they\u2019re incorrect, they have to be done and remailed out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Allen, the most critical responsibility of the position is availability.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Allen questioned Dreiling’s statements on free and fair elections in the county and emphasized the importance of communication in the role of County Clerk.
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\u201cI think that the biggest priority for any position that\u2019s similar to the County Clerk is to make sure the public knows you\u2019re there and open to their questions, criticisms, and suggestions they may have,\u201d she said. \u201cKnowing that you are able to talk to somebody is a priority for any public position.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding election security, the question of whether paper ballots are more accurate than electronic ballots was asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have to make sure that we\u2019re not separating one from the other,\u201d Allen said. \u201cWhen I cast my ballot, I fill in the dots just like I always have, which is still read by a ballot reader and a piece of technology. It\u2019s important to make sure the ballots are correct in either situation and to have enough people to make sure that those counts are correct, which doesn\u2019t necessarily have to do anything with just ballot or paper. They have to work hand-in-hand with the correct input and people overseeing it to make sure they\u2019re correct.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dreiling took a different approach to her answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would say 100% paper ballots are more accurate than any electronic machine that we\u2019ve had in the past,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have what we call the Express Vote for ADA purposes. So, people who have any kind of disability are able to vote on the ADA. I have a lot of voters who are voting on that because they love it. They hate filling in those little dots. With the Express Voting touch screen, it is a paper ballot as well. The minute that ballot comes out of that machine, you are assured that you can look at your choices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n