Erie County elections board gets new member

PERKINS TWP. — Nancy McKeen, a longtime local public servant, recently retired from the Erie County elections board. She served in the position for one year. To fill the void, the Erie County Republican Party's executive committee voted unanimously to appoint John Adams as her replacement. Adams was sworn in by Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Roger Binette and took part in his first meeting this past week. McKeen, a former three-term county commissioner and longtime chairwoman of the area's Republican party chairwoman, served during a pivotal year for the elections board. Her first vote in March 2023 revolved around appointing a new director, Alex Jones. Then, in August and November of last year, the board faced two unusual elections due to statewide ballot initiatives while undergoing a significant legal change to voter identification requirements across 2023. "We will forever appreciate Nancy's service to the board of elections," Jones said. "She played a crucial role in the board's success during challenging circumstances this past year." Added Caleb Stidham, chairman of the county's Republican party: "Nancy has been an inspiration to many public servants in Erie County over the years. She has never said 'No' to a challenge and has always poured her heart and soul into every opportunity to give back to this community." Regarding Adams' appointment, Stidham said, "We couldn't be more excited to have John represent the party on the board. He brings decades of experience working with people and a passion for public service." Erie County commissioner Matt Old, a Republican, echoed Stidham's comments. "No one can truly replace Nancy McKeen. But I have every confidence that John will work hard to represent the voters of Erie County in a fair and impartial manner." Adams was humbled to be chosen for role, stating, "I am very grateful for this opportunity to serve Erie County. This role comes with tremendous responsibility, and I'm humbled to have been chosen by my fellow party members. I will work with our staff and board members to ensure Erie County continues to conduct free and fair elections." The county board, comprised of two Democrats and two Republicans, oversees local elections, ensures fair voting processes and supervises a staff taking care of other government responsibilities. Elections board members are appointed by their respective political parties: Democrats or Republicans.