Primary voters went to the poll across the state Tuesday. But, did they notice all the election inspectors patiently working behind the scenes to ensure the safety and efficiency of our democracy? Did they thank them for their service?
State Rep. John Reilly and Michigan Township Association Director Neil Sheridan did. They stopped by the Addison Township offices on Feb. 28, to thank seven ladies who have served Addison as inspectors for over 20 years.
“I think it is wonderful you are so dedicated to this process,” Sheridan told them. “The poll worker role and the clerk role is so critical now with this increase of absentee ballots. It’s certainly going to be a hot year for bills.”
Reilly presented them each a framed certificate of recognition from the township for “exceptional” years of service. Sheridan passed out flowers.
These ladies go way back. Whenever they get together, they share laughs over “war stories” from election days past. Several have recently retired from poll working due to health, so this is a reunion.
“I like it. It’s fun,” said Precinct 2 Co-chair Eileen Galbraith, describing what the work is like. “You get to see a lot of people that come in that you never see. It’s good to know what’s going on in the community because you hear a lot from people talking so I think it keeps you up to date on everything . . . We have a good time. We bring snacks and lunch and we make a nice day of it.”
Galbraith is switching places with Jeanette Skipinski as Precinct 2 Chair. “She wants to give up the chair, but I don’t want her to leave me,” Galbraith said, so Skipinski will be her co-chair. Skipinski, who has worked as an inspector for forty years, recruited Galbraith when she retired 26 years ago.
In fact, that’s how most of the inspectors first got involved: through personal connections.
Linda Douglas started in 1998, when she retired from working for the township as deputy clerk. Clerk Pauline Bennett didn’t want her to leave, so she encouraged her to stay on as an election inspector.
Maxine Louwaert began when Bill Clinton was first elected, 28 years ago. She remembers going through the line on Election Day and knowing all the inspectors. “How did you get this job?” she asked them and thought, “Well, I can do this.”
Galbraith said she didn’t understand how the ballot counting systems worked until she started doing it herself. “When you first come up and vote, you don’t know anything, how they really do it.”
Now she knows all about it. “You hear on TV, in Detroit they’re having all this trouble, and I’m thinking there is no way you can cheat. As many years as I’ve worked here, there’s just no way we can cheat.” With all the safeguards in place, “we could never refuse anybody here. You can’t mess with the ballots.”
With their “incredible span of service,” Sheridan asked if they preferred the old ways of balloting or the new electronic ballots.
They don’t like dealing with the computers as much, but it makes keeping track of voters easier, rather than using a big physical book.
Janet Ostrender, remembers the night when Bob Ousnamer sought re-election for township supervisor as a write-in candidate in 1988. They had to count the write-ins on a paper roll from a big machine that they rolled out the length of the gym and they were on their “hands and knees counting these votes.”
Someone wrote as a write-in, “Mickey Mouse.” They still see Mickey Mouse now and again.
They have a good time, but they take the work seriously. Folks should remember that the right to vote is a privilege and not to be taken for granted.

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