To the editor:

Comments by Douglas County Clerk Patty Jaimes in the Lawrence Journal-World on April 3 following the recent ballot-counting snafu indicate changes are needed at the Douglas County Clerk’s Office.

“It’s very hectic down here on election night,” Jaimes said. “People are wanting numbers quickly, the faster the better. … if we didn’t have that pressure to get them out quickly, we wouldn’t have this problem.”

I work for a private company. At our company, we strive to serve our customers and to meet or exceed their high expectations and requirements. If we don’t, our competition will. I can’t imagine saying to one of my customers, “If you didn’t want this product manufactured at the highest quality and delivered so quickly, things would be much easier for our company.”

As consumers of services offered by the Douglas County Clerk’s Office, Lawrence residents and taxpayers expect performance, not excuses. An attitude adjustment, a change at the ballot box, or a restructuring of this elected government position is needed.

David Nutt,

Lawrence