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Treasurer Race: Candidate Preview

By Chase Moffitt

Story Created: Oct 29, 2010 at 6:25 PM MDT

Story Updated: Oct 29, 2010 at 6:57 PM MDT

Closer to home it’s coming down to the wire for local candidates. In the cascade county treasurer's race, republican Jaime Bailey ran uncontested during the Primaries and now faces her Democrat opponent and co-worker, Betty Kunkel. These two women are finishing up their campaigns and ready to watch next Tuesday nights results. This election not only has major implications for who wins, but for the history of the county for electing the first ever women into office, but both these ladies tell me, they have much more on their minds.

Jaime bailey says, “there’s sometimes, there’ll be sent out, and then come back in and sent out several times.” Betty Kunkel says, “it does open at seven o’clock in the morning, and I don’t think a lot of people realize that either.”

The cascade county treasurer’s race brings two co-workers head-to-head republican Jaime bailey and democrat Betty Kunkel.

Jaime bailey says, “when the MERLYN system went up, last year about a year and a half ago, there was as a lot of people know, there was a lot of issues with it, and a lot of times it was just kind of hit and miss to how to go about solving those problems, to get around them and correct them.”

Bailey says she sees some ideas for working within the system to improve it like the computer system, the lines and really working one on one with people.

Kunkel says, “ask what they need, you know their line is out there and their all just really crowded in their little areas, and there’s got to be ways they know, that they’ve caught on to have better ways of doing something.”

Betty Kunkle thinks talking to the clerks, the front line people to really share their experience will help the whole office, really help everyone be on top of their game.

Kunkel says, “The mail in the registrations, that’s really fast, I mean they get them in and out.” Bailey says, “Getting them in and out and trying to catch the issues and get them addresses.” Kunkel says, “Cause actually before the MERLYN came in, it really was a fast process, there wasn’t that many lines.” Bailey, whose husband is also a public servant, says he really supports her and her cause.

Now both women say they will miss current County Treasurer Jess Anderson, as he has taught them a tremendous during each of their careers working with him. Make sure you tune into NewsChannel5 on election night for complete coverage of this year's election.


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