MAYVILLE — Chautauqua County Democratic Election Commissioner Norm Green is stepping down at the end of his term of office. But he prefers to think of it as just moving on.
“I don’t think retirement is the right word. I’m moving on,” Green told WNYNewsNow Wednesday morning.
As election commissioner, Green is not able to discuss his plans for the future, he said. Green has held the position since 1999.
Asked his proudest accomplishment, Green said it was avoiding being the focus of the media for election day errors, because he and his staff always have been able to solve issues as they arise.
“You’re (the media) not calling us up the day after the election, never are you calling us up the day after the election and asking what happened election night,” Green said.
Green said he attends election conferences and is flooded with questions about how Chautauqua County does so well, always being the first county in New York to provide completed accurate election results.
“We’re always first in the state to produce election results. They ask how does Chautauqua County do it. We just do it, it’s not a formula, it’s getting the work done,” Green said.
“In Chautauqua County we just solve the problem,” he said.
While issues do arise, Green said the public generally never knows it because the problem is always addressed and solved.
“Things do happen. The voters never knew it because we had the emergency answer as to the issue.”
Management skills are vital to the job, Green advised. He said election commissioners manage as many as 500 election inspectors, 49 polling sites, 100 voting machines and a $1 millionbudget.
The Democratic Committee will consider Green’s replacement at the September meeting, he said. A candidate will then be forwarded to the Chautauqua County Legislature for the consideration.
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