LIMA — With the results of the March 15 primary now certified, the Allen County Board of Elections is ready to not only move on to preparing for the November general election, but also to move on with a new director.
Kathy Meyer was sworn in as director Tuesday, succeeding outgoing director Ken Terry, who is moving on to a position in the private sector. Meyer, a Democrat, is coming to Allen County after serving in the same position in Champaign County since 2012, as well as working at the Fulton County Board of Elections eight years before that, four of them as director.
“We are really, really lucky in Allen County,” according to Board of Elections member and Allen County Democratic Party Chairman Jeff Rex. “Kathy is a very experienced board of elections person. The only challenge she’ll have is that we have more people here than in the counties she’s been at. But when her résumé came up and we had the opportunity to interview her, it was a no-brainer for us, especially in a presidential election year.”
In succeeding Terry, Meyer was very complimentary of the work he had done as elections director and hopes to continue to further that work during her tenure.
“I think Ken’s had great plans, and I was sitting here talking to [Assistant Elections Director] Mark [Vernik], and I think we both have the same goals in mind,” she said. “We want to look at more modernization, as it can be acquired, and we just want to keep those ballots going.”
For Terry, the move is bittersweet, as he is looking forward to taking on a new challenge in the private sector but will also miss his work with the board.
“There are a lot of mixed emotions,” he said. “I’m happy to be moving on to what should be a great opportunity, but it’s sad to be leaving the job that I enjoyed so much.”
However, he is confident that Meyer will be an excellent elections director for Allen County.
“I have high confidence that she’ll be great,” he said. “She comes with a lot of good experience, and more importantly, she fits in with the personalities at the office, which is important in an office setting. She’ll be a great asset to Allen County.”
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