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Hats off to Tapiola First Responders
I would like to thank the First Responders of the Tapiola area for saving my life. I live on Bear Lake Road in Tapiola, and they responded to my home after I called 911. Unfortunately, the medication I was taking caused my tongue to swell so badly that I was unable to talk, which meant I was also unable to provide my address to the 911 dispatcher.
I am thankful that some of the First Responders were familiar with the location of my house and others were able to use the GPS location and arrive in time to help me. I am very grateful for their quick response and for saving my life. Thank you again and again!
Phil Faucher
Tapiola
Election Integrity
To the Editor:
Much recent news coverage questions election integrity in Michigan. Members of the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country (LWVCC) get involved in supporting voter security, and you can too.
League members volunteer as trained and certified poll workers for Houghton and Keweenaw County elections. A total of 157 hours were contributed by 17 members in 2024. The polls are always in need of people to assist, especially with nine days of early in-person voting. Contact your local city or township clerk to find out if they need help.
Assisting at the polls is a great way to increase your understanding of how voting works and the careful work that goes into safeguarding the integrity and anonymity of votes, electronically tallying votes, and delivering these to the Board of Canvassers who provide an official check and confirmation of vote totals.
Local clerks ensure the safety of the system in multiple ways including at the close of polls. They put all hard copies of ballots into a locked container that goes to the Board of Canvassers for confirmation and storage. The required use of hard copies ensures that any election can be audited and recounted.
The League of Women Voters of the Copper Country supports and promotes:
1. Consistency of practices in all local voting jurisdictions by trained poll workers, including how to assist people with disabilities; maintaining state-required political balance (major political parties) of poll workers, and ensuring privacy for voters.
2. The local clerks' ability to provide absentee ballots automatically for every election to people with disabilities, senior citizens, and other eligible voters who request continuing service.
3. Increasing voter information and education for all elections in Houghton and Keweenaw counties.
You can vote with confidence in November. Visit the League's website (lwvccmi.org) to learn more and reach out if you have questions.
Joan Chadde
Lake Linden