Behind the scenes at the Jackson Co. Elections Office

MEDFORD, Ore. — Election day is nothing without the dozens of people behind the scenes counting your ballot, verifying signatures, and much more.

“It’s kind of like a family,” said Margie Runia, a temporary employee for Jackson County Elections Office.

Runia loves walking into this room and seeing all the familiar faces on election day.

“Year after year, we’ll say hi. We may not see them any other time of the year but we’ll see them here,” she said.

Runia has worked at the Jackson County Elections Office for 8 years.

She’s one of a handful of people verifying signatures every election.

“I’m a stay at home mom pretty much and I just enjoy helping out the process every year at election time. And being a part of it,” Runia said.

“I think as people get older they get more and more interested in politics,” said Ed Nicholson, a temporary employee for Jackson County Elections Office.

Nicholson was curious about the voting process. So curious, he got a job at the elections office in 2012.

“I think it’s kind of a civic thing that we all should participate in,” he said.

The former principal at Medford’s Hoover Elementary says this year’s election does feel different.

“We have a lot more ballots than we’ve been dealing with even in other presidential elections,” he said.

Both say the day is sure to be long and tiring, but when those results come in,  it’s all worth it.

“I feel like I know that the integrity of the vote is the way the voter intended,” said Runia.

“We’ll stick it out till the end,” said Nicholson.

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