Photo submitted by Dena Mellick

We accept letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and are typically 400 to 800 words in length. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and content. To send your letter to the editor, email it to [email protected].

Dear Decaturish,

I am a citizen of DeKalb who believes in voting in every election, a principle I have tried to instill in my grown children. My son is at college and mistakenly thought he’d applied for an absentee ballot. When I realized he hadn’t, I contacted DeKalb County Voter Registration Office last Friday.

Ms. Mary Frances Weeks spoke with me, gave me an email, told me how to apply for an absentee ballot on behalf of my son. When my ballot wasn’t properly signed, she called me, told me how to fix it, and personally shepherded this application. My son received the ballot on Monday and got it in the mail in Athens. I’m not sure if the U.S. Post Office will get that ballot to the registration office in time to be counted, but I’m proud that my son took time out of his busy day on Monday to get that ballot and send it in.

American citizens, aided by the internet, often are quick to criticize the misdeeds of public officials, and many denounce government employees as lazy.

On Election Day, I’m pleased to remember that our government has people like Mary Frances Weeks who did her job above and beyond the call of duty. I am so thankful that my county has employees like her around.

And in the future, I WILL be applying for those absentee ballots earlier!

Sincerely,

Diane Loupe

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