The city of Suffolk honored the officers of election who have served a decade or more at a ceremony held June 13 at the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront. Officers of election are responsible for proper and orderly voting at polling stations on Election Day.

Susan Saunders, the director of elections and general registrar, praised these 79 officers of election at the ceremony, as did guest speaker Debbie George, chief of staff for the city of Suffolk.

They were praised for their dedication and hard work to help protect the electoral process in Suffolk and to assure each citizen that elections are lawfully carried out. Saunders applauded their devotion and made it clear that it’s their assistance that allows elections to be conducted successfully in the city.

The following officers of election were recognized at the Officers of Election Appreciation Ceremony:

Clarice Anderson; Thomas Ashley; Lydia Bailey; Margaret Bailor; Shironica Beamon; Marlene Bevel; Tamara Blackmon; Delores Boyette; Vivian Bryant; Florence Byrd; Vermelle Byrd; Betty Campbell; Nellie Carbaugh; Alphonsa Cargill; Joyce Cates; Carolyn Champ; Jesse Champ; Shelley Childs; Janice Copeland; Mary Copeland; Delores Cuffey; William “Macy” Darden; Sylvia Davenport; Gary Ellis; Veronica Evans; Virginia Fisher; Kendall Foster; Glozia Freeman; Jimmie Goodman; Lawrence Griffin; Virginia Grisham; Winona Hancock; Dwight Harper; Esther Harrell; Wanda Harrell; Anita Hicks; Eddie Hicks; Mary Hicks; Rosa Hicks; Mary Holland; Charles Jordan; Arthalia Kahan; Milton Keeling; Eric Lassiter; Jesse Lawrence; Tommie Lawrence; Costellar Ledbetter; Pecoyia Lyons; Myra Martin; Sherri Matthews; Marie McCrea; John Monroe; Carolyn Moody; Cynthia Norfleet; Malachi Pork; Mary Ralph; Arminta Rawls; Doris Rawls; Theodore Robinson; Thomas Rountree; Linda Rowell; Roy Rowell; David Saunders; Pam Saunders; Dwane Sherrick; Delores Smith; Donna Smith; Earl Smith; Denise Spady; Bonnie Timm; Vivian Turner; Maggie Weaver; Gloria Whitfield; Bertha Wigfall; Cornelius Wiggins; Douglas Wiggins; Catherine Williams; Margaret Williams; Paula Woodruff.