Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus is the county election official. She has worked in the clerk’s office for 30 years. Earlier this week she talked with Eagle News about the USD 489 school board election and candidate Josh Waddell. This is what she said.

“We had a candidate that ran for USD 489. The candidate….. early on I had realized he was not registered to vote. I gave him a call and he was not there. I did leave a message. I have always checked those over the years.

I did take it to heart that it did get by me. But we put him on the ballot. He was not a qualified elector of that school district and he needed to be.

So tonight (Monday) through the secretary of state and through county council, I have gone through both of those.

They said that the canvass needs to be conducted like it is and whoever received the most votes that’s how I need to certify it and so that is what I will do.

The question was that he is not a qualified elector to sign the oath of office but it will be up to USD 489 to make the decision from here on. But I tell you this office is going to handle anybody that wants to be a candidate and I hope we have a lot of people that are interested in future elections but the voter registration will be checked first of all. There are some offices that require you to be an elector and there are some that aren’t but everyone will be checked in this office.”

For more on the story,  watch Eagle Community Television’s local news with Becky Kiser on Eagle Channel 14 and 614 tonight at 6 and 10 p.m.