Shelby County Board of Elections new appointments following the re-organizational meeting. From left to right, Deputy Director Andrew Higgins, Chairperson Dan Cecil and Director Pamela Kerrigan with new board member Susan Dunson, left.
Shelby County Board of Elections Director Pamela Kerrigan, right, swears in the newly appointed board members, from left to right, Merrill Asher, Dan Cecil and Susan Dunson.
SIDNEY — The Shelby County Board of Elections held their biennial re-organizational meeting during which they appointed a new chairperson and re-appointed both the director and deputy director.
Before the re-organizational meeting and appointments took place, Director Pamela Kerrigan swore in two new board members and Merrill Asher, who was re-nominated to serve another four years. The two new members sworn in were Dan Cecil and Susan Dunson. Board member Douglas Pence provided the two new members with helpful check sheets to help them get started in their new positions.
After swearing in the three members, the board appointed Asher as the temporary chairperson for the purpose of the meeting. As acting chairperson, Asher called for nominations for the position of the Board of Elections Director. The person making the nomination must be of the same political party as the individual they are nominating. Board member Asher nominated Pamela Kerrigan. The board unanimously approved the nomination.
The second appointment, in the same manner, is for the deputy director of the Board of Elections. The only caveat to the nominations is that it must come from a member of the same party as the nominee and the nominee must be a member of the opposite party to the party of the director. Member Dan Cecil nominated Andrew Higgins, the board unanimously approved the nomination.
Next, the board appointed a new Board of Elections chairperson. The chairperson must be a different party than the party of the director, in this case the chairperson is required to be a member of the Republican Party as Kerrigan is a member of the Democratic Party. Pence moved to nominate Cecil as board chairperson, Asher seconded Pence’s nomination. Cecil’s nomination was approved unanimously.
The last step in reorganization is for the board to determine focused roles for each members. The board deemed the delegation of specific roles unnecessary.
“I personally think that that (delegating focused roles) works, but I think that we all need to be involved in all aspects and as things come up we need to work together. Be more cohesive than I think we have been in the past,” said Asher.
Finally, the board determined that moving the monthly Board of Elections meetings to the third Tuesday of each month, beginning in March, will be beneficial for staff and board members and for the election process.
