OTTAWA COUNTY — The Ottawa County Clerk’s Office announced Tuesday it was withdrawing from a nationwide initiative aimed at helping local election offices ensure election integrity. In November, Clerk Justin Roebuck announced Ottawa County was a finalist in the "Centers for Election Excellence," an initiative of the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence. On Jan. 31, Roebuck walked that back, saying after the finalist announcement, the Alliance began releasing grant information indicating it intended to award significant private grant dollars directly to participating election offices. Upon learning that Ottawa County would receive $1.5 million it didn’t ask for — funded through private monies — Roebuck requested his office be withdrawn from consideration. "Some of the stuff we were talking about was really exciting and I applaud them for doing it," Roebuck told The Sentinel. Ultimately, Roebuck said he felt more comfortable receiving funding for initiatives if there was a need. He cited the example that the county’s election results website could be more user-friendly. "But $1.5 million just seemed excessive," Roebuck said. "We didn’t ask for that. Honestly, we were very surprised and we want people in it for the right reasons." The U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, launched in […]
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