Opinion: Yakima County ballots in good hands tonight | Opinion

If you’ve ever had a broken pipe, a clogged septic tank, or a flat tire during a snowstorm, you know the feeling of blessed relief that comes when help arrives.

That’s how it feels today.

After months and months anticipation, terrible anxiety and outright fear, election day has finally arrived. And despite widespread concern about the fairness and accuracy of voting, we’re just as glad to see our election officials working as we would be to see an appliance technician come in to inspect a faulty refrigerator.

As we’ve seen time and time again, the guys from Yakima County Auditor’s Office know what they are doing and their ethics have proven to be impeccable. Auditor Charles Ross, Elections Manager Kathy Fisher and the rest of the hardworking staff deserve the gratitude of the community.

Here’s an example: After several close races in the 2021 general election, the headquarters held hand count more than 40,000 votes. With so many ballots, it would be understandable that some might end up in the wrong pile, but impressively, the recount only changed one vote.

In times of overwrought melodrama— largely caused by misinformation – this should reassure us all.

It’s nice to know that we live in a state that figured out how to run fair, accurate, and efficient elections years ago. And it’s good to know that our local elections office is doing everything it can to help you have your say on Election Day.

It’s also good to know that campaign staffs across the United States have proven time and time again that they take pride in their work and their ethics and rarely make mistakes. Whatever political flag you fly deserves your utmost respect.

Remember this tonight.

Remember: if desperate politicians try to claim that they are losing only because the other side cheated in some way.

Remember that if you start to see tensions are rising in divided communities across the country, where seeds of doubt are growing into full-fledged stupidity – all because people have been falsely told that they cannot trust the government under any circumstances.

Is our electoral system perfect? Of course not. No one’s.

However, we would compare our voting procedures with any other country in the world and place our state at the head of the class among all other states in the Union.

So if you haven’t already, cast your vote before 8 o’clock tonight and be sure it will count.

Voting is a privilege, a responsibility, and the most patriotic thing you can do as a citizen.

Yakima Herald-Republic editorials reflect the collective opinions of the local newspaper editorial team.