Letter: Thank you for keeping the election running smoothly

Thank you to those who made North Dakota’s general election run smoothly. I participated as a voter and a League of Women Voters of North Dakota election observer. The poll workers I encountered carried out their duties diligently and professionally. Without their hard work and that of those behind the scenes, November’s election would not have been possible.

By participating as an election observer, I had the awe-inspiring experience of seeing Fargoans come together and cast their ballots. The election observer program is an important initiative of LWVND, a non-partisan organization dedicated to safeguarding voting rights. It enhances the transparency of North Dakota’s elections and aims to identify areas for improvement. In November, more than 60 volunteers monitored election sites throughout the state. Their feedback was then compiled and submitted to county auditors.

Fortunately, the LWVND election observers found few major issues, and election inspectors addressed several of those problems on Election Day. Resolving these issues reinforced the integrity of the election process and allowed those legally eligible to vote.

As the election observer program expands, I encourage you to volunteer for the general election in 2026. Visit the LWVND website (

www.lwvnd.org

) to see how. Or sign up at the Secretary of State’s site (

www.sos.nd.gov/elections/voter/be-poll-worker

) to be a poll worker.

Kate Bladow lives in Fargo.