Longtime Poll Worker Reflects on 50 Years of Service

NAMPA, Idaho (AP) — To 92-year-old Jean Knutson, voting is a privilege and responsibility residents should participate in. She jokes about it pretty plainly — people shouldn't complain about who is in office if they didn't vote.

Knutson, of Nampa, has been a poll worker for Canyon County Elections Office since the 1950s and was honored this year by Canyon County Clerk Chris Yamamoto for her dedicated service to the county. Since she started serving with the board, Knutson has only missed one election night, and it was due to a surgery in 1988.

She initially volunteered because at the time, the county required there be an equal number of Democrats and Republicans working elections. Knutson, who was a registered a Democrat, said it was always easier for the Elections Office to find Republican volunteers in a conservative state such as Idaho. "Jean Knutson is a lovely lady that has served Canyon County Elections for over six decades.

This level of dedication is nothing short of incredible," Yamamoto said. "Canyon County and indeed the nation, express our great respect and sincere gratitude." While the biggest turnout for voting is always presidential elections, Knutson said she wished more people would vote for city and county elections. "Those are the elections that really affect you if you stop to think about it," Knutson said about local elections. "You can't really complain (about politics) if you didn't vote." When making an informed decision, Knutson said voters should not focus entirely on the party the candidate is affiliated with, but instead should evaluate the honesty of the candidate. Knutson said she has voted for candidates outside the party she was registered with on many occasions. "Focus on the character of the man, not the party," Knutson said. "I think people get in their own way by doing doing that. It's not necessarily the party that makes a good candidate."

While she doesn't have a most memorable election, Knutson said the technology and ballot count process has changed significantly over time, as well as voter registration deadlines. Other changes made during her time as a poll worker include the lack of term limits in place for Idaho politicians.

She said some officials stay in office for decades without turnover.

"I think term limits were a good thing," she said. "Sometimes you run out of fresh ideas." Knutson said she looks forward to the upcoming Republican presidential primary, adding she has never seen a primary with so many candidates in the race. She was unsure if she would help with the general election, anticipating it would be especially busy. "It's something I've always enjoyed doing," Knutson said about her time at the polls. "We'll see how this year works out."