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Outgoing DeKalb elections board members praise staff, cite transparency gains and warn against politicization
Summary
Board members Anthony Lewis and Susan Motter used their final meeting remarks to thank election staff, note gains in transparency and staffing, highlight programs like Vote Safe, and warn against efforts to politicize election administration.
At their final scheduled meeting on June 23, two longtime members of the DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections delivered parting remarks that thanked staff, highlighted improvements in transparency and training, and urged protection of the board’s independence.
Board member Anthony Lewis, who said he has served nine years, praised staff growth and operational improvements under Director Keisha Smith, thanked poll workers and county partners, and noted the department has expanded training and public engagement. “I think this may be one of the last places where people who serve here are serving from the heart,” Lewis said, adding a caution that “the political environment ... makes a board and a department like this subject to political manipulation.”
Board member Susan Motter, who said she has served six years, emphasized increased transparency: public access to the department budget and agenda materials, enhanced language-translation efforts and outreach to voters who need accommodations. She encouraged future board members to keep asking detailed operational questions so the public can see how processes work.
The board also noted that Nancy Jester, another outgoing member, was absent from the meeting due to a personal emergency and sent apologies. Members recognized the departing colleagues with comments and a standing ovation before adjourning.
The board adjourned following the remarks and a brief procedural motion; the meeting record shows the final vote to adjourn carried unanimously.
