RITZVILLE — Adams County voters will be choosing a new auditor in the November general election, and two current employees, Jacque Laird and Courtney Fanning, are running for the position. 

The Columbia Basin Herald asked both candidates the same questions about their candidacy. Their answers are below. 

What prompted you to run for auditor? 

Laird: I decided to run for county auditor because I believe taxpayers deserve transparency, accountability and responsible management of public funds.  I want to use my experience and knowledge to serve the community and ensure the county’s finances are handled in a clear and careful manner.   

Fannin: After researching the role and shadowing the auditor, I felt I could bring valuable leadership experience and a fresh perspective to the position. It also allows me to continue my public service at a greater level.    

What are your views on election security, and what’s your plan for keeping ballots secure?  

Fannin: I believe election security is one of the most important responsibilities of the county auditor’s office. We have already made significant security upgrades to our elections building. As county auditor, I would focus on maintaining security throughout the ballot process from preparing and sending ballots through their return and processing. I would also work to strengthen and regularly review our internal controls and safeguards. This will help us better track ballots sent to voters and those returned and help us accurately identify ballots with missing or unmatched signatures, so those issues can be addressed quickly. I would like to encourage more community involvement and volunteer participation during elections to help ensure we have bipartisan participation in the process.    

Laird: Election security is very important to the voters of Adams County and to the Adams County Auditor’s Office.  Security measures are in place at the elections office. This includes dual control of all ballots after we have received them in the office. The ballot signature verification process is also completed under dual control. I believe it is of the utmost importance to follow the policies and procedures that the state of Washington has put in place for election security. 

How do you ensure election transparency? 

Laird: Part of the election transparency begins with testing the ballot tabulator machine before an election.  An official from the Secretary of State’s Elections Department comes on site for this testing. There is a very specific chain of custody for the ballots from the ballot boxes to the elections office. This process involves 2 people who record the date, time, and seal numbers of ballot boxes and ballot transport bags. We complete balance checks on the number of ballots we have to open.  This process includes comparing the total number of signatures verified in VoteWA against the total number of envelopes to be opened.   

Fannin: As county auditor, I would ensure election transparency through clear communication and by making the process understandable and open to public observation. The way our voters get news and information has changed. So, the way we provide voters with election information and resources will need to be in ways that work best for them. I feel that when voters see your information more regularly it will open a line of communication we may not have had in the past. 

There are also some financial oversight responsibilities, among other things. With a varied list of jobs, how do you ensure all of them are carried out?     

Fannin: Many voters may not be aware that our county Auditor oversees five different departments. The Auditor oversees the county elections, payroll, accounts payable, the recording and preserving of records, and auto Licensing. This position requires strong financial oversight, attention to detail, and operational leadership. It’s about meeting deadlines, managing complex systems, and serving the public efficiently and transparently. It’s a job that demands hard work, and I’m prepared to do it.   

Laird: As the county auditor has a varied list of responsibilities, I would use technology tools to schedule, organize, and track. I would work together with the office staff to ensure the timely completion of daily work and other projects completed at various times of the year. 

Most of the auditor's duties, of course, are prescribed by state law, but the auditor does have some discretion in the way they operate. What practices do you want to retain from the way the auditor's office operates now?     

Laird: Some practices that I would like to retain include continuing to ensure all employees have the necessary training to work at the Department of Licensing counter and the Recording desk. These two positions have the highest volume of public traffic in the office. I would also want to maintain and build on the working relationships with other departments.   

Fannin: It is important to me that our office continues to serve the public with accuracy and professionalism. I would also continue using clear procedures and accurate financial information to support the responsibilities of the office. My approach would be to maintain practices that are working well and review them regularly to identify opportunities to improve accuracy and efficiency.  

What practices do you want to change? 

Fannin: I am committed to completing our payroll system upgrades.  I was project lead in implementing our online Electronic Recording services and new finance software.  I would apply what I learned on these projects to move this implementation forward in a timely manner. This will improve efficiency and reinforce accountability for taxpayers by reducing costs and labor needed to provide accurate data. I would also like to put more resources towards our voter outreach. I think it is very important to get voters information in ways that will inform and encourage them to get out and vote.   

Laird: I would like to implement more cross-training of employees within the office. This will better serve the public if the office is short-staffed for any reason. I will look for ways to modernize outdated processes and make information easier for the public to understand. I will listen to the employees’ concerns and try to identify changes or improvements that would have the greatest benefit.