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Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020 Shelton-Mason County Journal Page A-5
All our systems just worked during the election
rations for holding an election during a pandemic.
Industry played a part. Social media companies
including Facebook and Twitter took a much more
aggressivestance against misinformation and dis-
information in 2020 than they did in 2016. They
deleted fake accounts of foreigners posing as Ameri-
cans that promoted discord.
There is now an alphabet souphof organizations
to facilitate exchange of information on security
and threats, including the Elections Infrastructure
Information Sharing and Analysis Center (El-ISAC)
that I participate in,- along with my colleagues from
around the country.
All of this preparation led to an election Where
the will of the people, free from foreign interference,
won out. While it is always tough for losers to ac-
to ensure this success. Here we have a new ballot
tally system, ClearBallot, that is the state of the
art. We also have a new security system
in the ballot processing room, including a
camera on our new drive-up drop box at our
office. .
All the counties in Washington are now
linked with the Secretary of State’s Office in
a new voter registration system, VoteWA,
that allows us to detect in real time if a Kit-
sap County voter is trying to register and
vote in Mason County. It is also hardened
to resist intrusion. We know that foreign
adversaries were able to get into voter reg-
istration systems in Illinois and Florida in
2016 and we had to work together to see
n Dec. 31, 1999, at about 11 p.m., my family
_ . . Owent out on the beach at Cannon Beach, Or-
egon, to ring in the new millennium.
For a couple of years leading up to that
time, we had heard dire predictions about
v computer malfunctions, known at the Y2K
bug, bringing down the electrical grid and
g all manner of computer operated systems at
the stroke of midnight.
As the clock rolled over to midnight, pret-
ty much nothing happened because indus-
1 try and government had spent those years
preparing and repairing systems so nothing
d would happen.
The Nov. 3rd presidential election was
similar in many ways. There was foreign
By PADDY
MeGUrRE
interference in the 2016 election and the elections that could not happen
here. cept the results, there is no credible evidence that
community had spent the intervening four years The federal government
played a critical part too, anyone interfered with the outcome of the
election
working together to see that it didn’t happen again. with the Department
of Homeland Security treating anywhere.
Like that midnight years ago on the beach in Or- the country’s election
system and critical infrastruc: For an election official, an election-as
exciting as
egon, all our systems just worked. ture, akin to the electrical grid in
terms of national Y2K is the definition of success.
A lot changed in the four years since 2016 in Ma- importance. Congress
appropriated money that al-
son County, in Washington and around the country lowed for the development
of VoteWA and for prepa- I Paddy McGuire is the Mason County Auditor.
TO THE
federal government bureaucrats who
n k u! use public school children to augment
Jaumal Letter Polio their agendas by educating them to
M a n v . v ‘ believe in unholy marriage, unholy
. ' The Journal encourages original letters to the‘ editor of local
interest. Diverse beliefs about their sex, unAmerican
“$01”,th Jouurl’g‘fllz hank and varied opinions are welcomed. We
will not publish letters that are deemed ideas about their country (U~N~
su-
lrst r I “’0. . 1 e to t . libelous or scurrilous in nature. All
letters must be signed and include the Preme WW” engag‘ngfur youth.“
Mason County c1tlzens for voting for . , . . . fight their wars in foreign
countries
whomever they voted fen It’s a good writer 3 name, address and daytime
phone number, which wrll be used for and use of a W 0 n d Court to try them
thing when more people have their verification purposes only. All letters
are subject to editing for length, grammar outside the protection of our
own Uls,
voices heard through this process and clarity. To submit a letter, email
editor@masoncounty.com, dr0p it off at Constitution and Bill of Rights if
they
Second 0f 311: I aPPrGCiate those Who 227 W. Cota St., or mail it to PD.
BOX 430, Shelton, WA 98584. disobey the UN. Charter)
did not pay attention to the bombard- V ‘ I would like to refuse to pay
the
ment of negatlve letters regarding portion of my property tax that sup-
party lines. (:0 back and read or take ports this school agenda now that
notice of the same handful of letters (coming to your county commission- to
you negative Nellies that spew your State government can mandate and
submitted by the same folks. Yea, it ers’ chambers soon) I’ve crossed
fam- negative opposition every week in the teach this curriculum after
approval
was scary that there are a lot of nega- ily lines and voted Republican. I
don’t local paper, thank you for helping Ma- of Referendum 90 sex
education
tive folks out there, spewing out nega— think I’ll ever go back; the
Democratic son County stay a red county. L for ages kindergaliten through
12th
five Opposition and lies from news Party is in shambles. They’re out of
Also on another note, the Electoral grades, even though parents can opt
reports that they see on TV, without their minds, they are out for them-
College works, it’s how smaller coun- out I“ refuse, then I would lose
my
doing a little research, selves, not our country. ties can get
representation on choos- home for nonpayment of taxes and be
Unfortunately, 99% of the media Some say they’re progressive, ing our
senators and governor. homeless.
were for Biden so the sheep followed.
I know I was raised and have always
voted Democrat, until my party de-
cided to run Hillary, I felt that was a
bad move. I knew President Donald
Trump would win, so I wrote in good ,
old Mickey Mouse on that one.
, But after four years of made-up
lies, false reasons to impeach, closing
down our country and blaming CO-
VID on Trump and now court packing
that’s just a term that means they
think they are. I have a co-worker
who disagrees with me on most of the
issues but we debate it out and when
we’re done we both understand where
the other is coming from and move on.
It’s actually made our working rela-
tionship stronger because we respect
the other’s opinion.
Too bad the so-called adults who
run our government can’t do this. And
Carl Olson
Shelton
lI am truly upset’
Editor, the Journal,
I am pleased with this venue to ex-
press my beliefs.
I am truly upset with my state and
But thanks to my heavenly Father
and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, I
still have my heavenly soul to main-
tain me.
Diane Eaton
Shelton
see page A-6
Sports: Kids are running out Of time to make memories
continued fro)” page A_4 we must focus on the values challenges we face.
Students ation. Schools offer the most
and interconnectivity of ex- are not attending on a regular ‘ But that is
not what this is equitable opportunities for
These examples of students tracurricular activities. basis or, in some
cases, at all. about. ' students of all skill levels and
returning to sports are not
meant to diminish the havoc
and loss that this virus has
caused. They are meant to
show that if we work together
and take the proper precau-
tions, we can return to offer-
ing these once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities. We know this
because it has already been
done. These are challenging
times, absolutely, but there is
no hiding from this pandemic.
We’ve heard the hesitancy
among superintendents: “How
can we offer athletics when
we haven’t returned to in-
person learning?” This is not
a logistical question. It is a
question regarding optics and
politics. I understand the hes-
itancy based on the'stance of
their communities. However,
Education-based sports
and activities have always
been a key component of our
school system. We cannot
eliminate one portion of a stu-
dent’s education because we
had to modify another. Aside
from the inherent values that
come with athletic and activ-
ity participation, students
who compete in high school
have shown to achieve higher
grades, increase motivation
and engagement, and improve
the overall high school experi~
ence. ‘
I’ve heard anecdotal
evidence from our schools as
well. Administrators in large
school districts are report-
ing three times the number
of students earning failing
grades this year with all the
This has. been a difficult time
for students, teachers and ev-
eryone working to educate our
children. Returning to com-
petition will not be a cure-all,
but, in a time where students
have become disconnected
from their educ_ation,_we
know athletics and activities
can help them re-engage.
This call to action is not
coming from a place of self-
preservation or self-interest.
While the WIAA itself has
taken a financial hit during
the pandemic, I am confident
the organization is positioned
to survive these hard times
and thrive when we return to
normality. A return to play
this year without fans in at-
tendance likely makes for a
more difficult financial situ-
We have seen education-
based athletics and activi-
ties take place successfully
throughout the country.
Washington has demon-
strated we can develop and
execute safety measures
' during the pandemic. Our
athletic directors and coaches
have proven they are commit-
ted to ensuring the safety of
student-participants and com-
plying with state-mandated
regulations.
We must allow students to
participate under the supervi-
sion of their school leaders
and coaches and the WIAA is
prepared to assist in navigat-
ing that process. There is no
safer place for a student than
our schools, before and during
this pandemic.
financial means. Restricting
the ability of schools forces
,, students and families to pur-
sue avenues that are cost-pro-
hibitive and have fewer safety
measures.
I understand that as'I
write this, we are seeing an-
other surge in COVID cases
around the country and in
Washington, and that we
might need to wait before we
begin competition again. But
we cannot wait until COVID
goes away because students
don’t have that luxury. .
They’re running out of time
to make memories.
I Mick Hoffman is the
executive director of the Wash-
ington Interscholastic Activi-
ties Association.