VIENNA — The long-awaited for Tuesday, Nov. 3 General Election is quickly approaching. Next week at this time, it will be over. Hopefully the dust will be settling and the nation can move on to and think about other things.

The staff at the Maries County Clerk’s office has been busy for many months, starting at the beginning of 2020 when candidates began filing for elected office. Then, the Covid-19 coronavirus global pandemic played havoc on the world and its citizens. In Missouri, the coronavirus pushed the April Municipal Election back to June. Two months later, the August Primary Election kept the county clerk’s office busy. And, now the General Election with its many voters interested in the presidential election has kept the county clerk’s office very busy and a hub of activity with people registering to vote, applying for absentee ballots, or voting absentee ballots in person. Rodgers said she’s never seen an election with so many absentee ballots being voted.

The staff at the county clerk’s office is very important and County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers and her Deputy Renee Kottwitz consistently organize and oversee good well run elections. They aren’t the only ones that make this possible. At each election, the county clerk’s office is assisted by some very important people—the poll workers.

For the General Election, three will be 40 good citizens staffing each of the county’s nine voter sites on Tuesday, Nov. 3. These are people who should be treated well, smiled at, and thanked by the Maries County voters who make the trip to their polling precinct to cast their ballot on election day.

The 40 poll workers have to be ready for the first voters at 6 a.m. on election day and next week’s election is supposed to be a doozie. The polls close at 7 p.m. and they probably will have to stay later because any voter in line at 7 p.m. is allowed to vote. However, voters and poll workers would be well served to arrive at the polling site before 7 p.m.

Clerk Rodgers has predicted a voter turnout of 83 percent. This is a big number considering that an April Municipal Election sometimes can’t surpass a 10 percent voter turnout.

Rodgers said it’s a long day for anyone and it can be stressful, too. Some of the county’s poll workers have been doing the job on election day for many years. They see it as a service to their fellow citizens. Others see it as a good way to see their friends and neighbors in their communities. Rodgers said over time, these poll workers become friends of her office staff. They’ve recognized many of them over the years and have had parties for some of them if the occasion arose.

The following are the good citizens who will be at the polling sites next week. Let’s show them our appreciation for how they help us participate in the democracy of the United States as we exercise our right to vote for whomever we wish to vote for.

Belle Precinct: Loretta Cook, Linda Moore, Cindy Barbarick, Jan Kottwitz, Sandy Arnold, Mary Moore, Deanna Wake (sanitizer).

Brinktown: Kenneth Moore, Rita Eichholz, Gilbert Rollins, Dorris Cohlemia.

Hayden Heights: Dale Copeland, Donna Knapp, Karen Oesch, Linda Beltz Martin.

Hodgeville, voting at Vichy Firehouse: Connie Feeler, Jeanette Gregory, Audrey Fisher, Llona Hance.

Mason Ridge: Lisa Garro, Debbie Deeken, Carol Bremer, Richard Wilde.

Safe, voting at Vichy Firehouse: Erica Smith, Wendy Zumwalt, Sonny Helton, Joyce Feeler, Jannett Kline (sanitizer).

Santee: Randy Ray, Kelley Ray, Steve Casper, Holly French.

Vichy, voting at Vichy Firehouse: Brenda Chambers, Donna Jones, Kimberly Robison, Joyce Pruett, Sheila Matthews (sanitizer).

Vienna: John Viessman, Terry Schwartze, Mick James, Elizabeth Rowden, Therese Roberson, Karen Oesch.