Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, February 16, 2017
(HENDRICKS CO.) - Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson presented Howard Sims with the Victor Risch Poll Worker of the Year Award Tuesday morning.
Sims received the award in recognition of his diligence and adaptability during the 2016 presidential election cycle. The Hendricks County Commissioners featured the presentation as the first order of business at their regular meeting.
Secretary Lawson had high praise for the selection of Sims. "Howard has been an invaluable asset to elections in Hendricks County for a very long time," Lawson said. "After working with 10 different clerks and hundreds of volunteers, it is easy to see why he is called a 'lifesaver' by his peers."
For years, Sims has been responsible for setting up the early voting area in Hendricks County, bringing his own tools from home to get the job done. He frequently volunteers to train new poll workers outside of his assigned hours and will usually stop at satellite voting sites while heading to his assignment, just to check on the workers. In 40 years, Sims has only missed working in a single election, when he attended his grandson's graduation from the Air Force.
The Victor Risch Poll Worker of the Year is awarded to a Hoosier poll volunteer who has demonstrated exemplary service and made significant contributions to local elections. The award was developed and named in honor of Victor Risch, a long-time Marion County poll worker who was killed in 2015 as he made his way to the polling station on election day. The award is a tribute to Victor for his years of service to the community.
Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and would not run without volunteer poll workers. Each year thousands of Hoosiers from across the state volunteer to take part in the process. Clerks from around the state nominate outstanding poll workers from their community and the awardee is selected from those nominations.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.