A longtime member of the Livingston County Board of Canvassers was recently recognized for admirably administering the duties of her office, which involved the canvassing and certifying of countless elections.

Ruth Munzel was recognized with a proclamation during Monday night’s meeting of the Livingston County Board of Commissioners. Commission chair Kate Lawrence thanked Munzel saying her experience, knowledge and attention to detail will certainly be missed. Her work in performing numerous ballot container inspections, certifications and participation in many statewide and local recounts was noted but also her experience with several changes in voting equipment.

Munzel has worked with everything from levered machines to punch cards to optical scan and says times have much changed. Munzel told the crowd the most controversial thing the Board of Canvassers does is conduct recounts and she could remember one election where they had to take deputies with them because there was a lot of hostility. She recalled another recount in which they ended up conducting inspections of challenged ballots with flashlights due to poor lighting.

Munzel was one of two Democrats on the four member board and said she has certainly enjoyed her service and appreciated the board’s graciousness in issuing the proclamation. She thanked a number of people in the audience for their contributions including county clerks, colleagues and her successor. Judy Donohue Williams has been appointed as her replacement, which Munzel said was a good decision. She called the former school teacher a lovely person who is also firm, which is want you want in such a position. (JM)