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ENOCH, Iron County — Carolyn Jones has been a continuing within the election course of in Iron County since 1972 when she first began as a ballot employee. Since then, she hasn’t missed — and even thought-about lacking — a single election, nor does she plan to decelerate anytime quickly.

“So long as I’ve a mind, I will be glad to do it. After they determine they do not want me anymore, I will be performed. However I’ll do it so long as I can, and so long as they want me,” mentioned Jones, who raises sheep and dairy heifers in Enoch along with her husband. “Though we’re retirement age, we’ll by no means retire.”

So much has modified throughout Jones’ half-century working Iron County polls, however her dedication to democracy in rural Southern Utah stays. Her first election expertise, actually, regarded fairly totally different than at the moment’s elections. It was held at a neighborhood member’s dwelling, with a wood poll field in a single nook and three little cubicles with curtains in the lounge. Jones and different ballot staff counted every poll by hand.

“It was an excellent expertise,” she mentioned. Since then, Jones has seen elections transition to punch-card ballots and the ensuing notorious hanging chads, to mail-in ballots and digital poll counting.

“Elections have modified so much,” Jones mentioned. “However the system they’ve proper now, of mail-in ballots, is probably the most foolproof moderately than the outdated paper ballots we had. There is not any means that the system will be hacked or that ballots will be solid with out identification, with out proving who you’re, even with a mail-in poll.”

“I believe anytime, within the state of Utah, you heard every kind of conspiracy theories — they haven’t any validity, a minimum of not within the rural counties as a result of we’re spot on,” she added. “If all of the states would step up and take the precautions that they take within the state of Utah, we might haven’t any cause for individuals to have conspiracy theories.”

The adjustments Jones has seen prolong past election techniques, to the citizens itself.

“For a few years, everybody who voted, voted each election. That is not the identical and has not been since about 2000,” she mentioned, including that probably the most troublesome a part of her 50 years as a ballot employee has been seeing rising voter apathy. “Seeing as our communities develop and our society has modified so that folks do not worth their alternative to make their voices heard they usually’re too busy with no matter their lives are to handle the one factor that is crucial to our lives, which is our freedom.”

She inspired individuals to spend slightly time with historical past to raised study the worth of freedom and the election processes. For these contemplating changing into ballot staff, Jones suggests making the dedication to take action for a few years.

“The county clerk’s workplace is all the time open for anybody to go, and they’re going to take you thru the method and present you the issues that occur,” she mentioned.

Classes from elections previous

A handful of elections, specifically, stand out for Jones.

In 1984, for instance, the county had a couple of 98% voter turnout, with the overwhelming majority popping out in assist of President Ronald Reagan. In distinction, a non-presidential election within the early 2000s solely introduced out 10% of voters.

“I needed to cry,” Jones mentioned. “There have been no large races occurring, however individuals did not vote for the those who they actually have a chance to work together with. They simply did not come out and that was a tragic 12 months.”

I’ve by no means not needed to vote. Generally I’ve not needed to vote for the those who had been operating, however I nonetheless needed to vote.

– Carolyn Jones, Iron County election employee

President Invoice Clinton’s second election in 1996 additionally stands out to Jones. Enoch had just lately constructed a brand new metropolis constructing. Regardless of an absence of correct insulation within the constructing and bitter chilly exterior, Jones mentioned there was higher voter turnout than in different years within the ’80s and ’90s.

“We ended up with strains serpentined out to the street and across the again of the constructing at 8 o’clock at night time as a result of individuals had been so anxious to vote,” she mentioned. “You may inform that we’re clearly a Republican neighborhood, nevertheless it was superb to see the individuals standing in line, within the chilly, and it was a couple of quarter to, after 9, once we lastly received everyone voted.”

A decadeslong ardour

Jones’ ardour for elections began at a younger age. Born and raised in Enoch, Jones is the daughter of former county commissioner and state Sen. Ivan Matheson. She mentioned each her mother and father harassed the significance of democracy — a legacy that Jones has handed to her personal 9 kids — together with one daughter who can be a ballot employee — and 37 grandchildren.

“My people had been very patriotic and I lived for the day that I might flip 21 and be capable of vote. … We simply grew up enthusiastic about elections, excited in regards to the alternative,” she mentioned. “I’ve by no means not needed to vote. Generally I’ve not needed to vote for the those who had been operating, however I nonetheless needed to vote.

“My husband and I had been newly married and we went the primary day we might to register to vote — and it was one of many large days of our lives.”

As soon as voting districts had been cut up, as Iron County grew, Jones supplied her own residence for voter registration and Election Day voting. Interacting with neighborhood members has been the spotlight of Jones’ time as an election employee.

“Assembly the members of the neighborhood 12 months after 12 months, watching them develop and develop into stable residents, seeing them participate within the democratic course of and be prepared to indicate up each election and voting,” Jones mentioned.

Carolyn Jones began as a ballot employee in Enoch in 1972 & hasn’t stopped since. At the moment in Parowan, I joined the county clerk to rejoice Carolyn’s half-century of service to Iron County voters.

The state of Utah could not run with out the assistance of the Carolyn Jones-es of the world. pic.twitter.com/RzxvF0H9oL

— Lt. Gov. Deidre M. Henderson (@LGHendersonUtah) December 3, 2022

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Iron County Clerk Jon Whittaker mentioned Jones’ 50 years as a ballot employee is exceptional. In actual fact, the one different ballot employee that comes even near the variety of years Jones has served is in her thirty third 12 months as a ballot employee.

“The beauty of Carolyn is she is simply regular and assured. She has performed it so lengthy that everybody is aware of her,” Whittaker mentioned. “My household moved within the Enoch space within the ’70s, and my mother and father bear in mind voting in her lounge. I actually recognize the expertise she brings, and I simply actually like her as an individual.”

Jones’ half-century of service was celebrated by the county and Lt. Gov Deidre Henderson final week. “The state of Utah could not run with out the assistance of the Carolyn Joneses of the world,” Henderson tweeted.

Jones, although, is a bit embarrassed by all of the hoopla. The notoriety isn’t why she’s performed what she has for half a century — she’s performed it for love of nation.

“It has been a rewarding, superb alternative to assist protect the values and freedoms,” she mentioned. “I’ve cherished to try this. November is an efficient time of 12 months.”

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