Despite an election currently underway and the general election set for November, Grays Harbor County Auditor Vern Spatz says he believes transitions in the department will not jeopardize any of the elections.
Laurie Ochmann has resigned from her position as elections administrator. Ochmann’s last day was late last week.
“Laurie had a different vision of the elections administrator job than what I did,” Spatz said, and he noted that she would still be working as elections administrator if she hadn’t resigned.
The position has been a revolving door, with frequent resignations and replacements. This will be the fifth person to hold the elections administrator position since 2015.
Spatz has announced his pending retirement. Spatz will retire by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, the primary election currently is underway, with ballot counts scheduled and certification planned for Aug. 15.
“We’re going to hire a new elections administrator,” Spatz said. “We’re going to keep processing ballots. We still have to certify the primary election on Aug. 15.”
The county has offered the position to Scott Turnbull, the elections administrator at Pacific County. Spatz said the new administrator comes to Grays Harbor County because his position is being eliminated at Pacfic County due to budget concerns.
Turnbull got his start in elections in 1976 in Pierce County, working in the voting machine warehouse, he said. In 1987, he was hired to a full-time position in Pierce County.
“I’ve got a few years experience,” Turnbull said humorously.
He’s looking forward to many aspects of the position and office at Grays Harbor County.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Turnbull said. “They have a great office. There are more registered voters than there are in Pacific County. The office layout and elections layout are far superior. I’m really excited to be starting up there on Monday.”
The transitions in the county auditor’s office aren’t off-putting to Turnbull.
“The Democrats are going to put forward names to the county commissioners and they’re going to pick one. I read an article in The Daily World and any of those candidates would be great to work for,” he said.
He noted that in a past position, the county auditor he worked for was “taken away in handcuffs.”
“I’ve gone through a lot of transitions with county auditors. I’ve seen it all,” he said.
Spatz was concerned about the transition, but bringing on an elections administrator with Turnbull’s level of experience has helped ease that anxiety.
“I was very concerned that there would be the overlap when I was leaving the county,” Spatz said. “It’s working out very well. I feel very comfortable with this new person coming on. Pacific County is losing but Grays Harbor is definitely gaining with this transition. I feel good leaving elections in his hands.”
Turnbull starts with Grays Harbor County on Aug. 14.
Currently, the Grays Harbor County Democrats are creating a shortlist of potential replacements for Spatz. The Democrats will supply three nominations to the Grays Harbor County commissioners who then will select an appointment to replace Spatz.
