It was early March when we all started realizing this year’s county elections were going to be big ones.

Fifty candidates, a nearly guaranteed runoff, then still a few more races to be decided in the November general election — it’s not your ordinary Adams County race.

Throw in the scandal surrounding a circuit clerk who admitted guilt to mishandling public money, and the last few months have been more than most wanted to handle.

The last few weeks have definitely been about the candidates involved in the race, which meant some other important characters were overlooked.

Between 6 and 7 a.m. Tuesday approximately 100 local residents began arriving at their job for the day.

Many took a day off from their real jobs in order to carry out an Election Day duty they felt was important.

They packed lunches, snacks and in some cases dinner and got ready to sit.

And sit they did. Unless of course, it was their job to stand by the machines and make sure voters understood what to do. The didn’t get lunch breaks or dinner breaks. I suppose they get a few minutes to head to the bathroom, but you get the point.

Poll worker is, by most accounts, a thankless job.

Those who sign up to work at the precincts will tell you they do it because they want to. It’s a civic duty, they said. And the members of Democratic and Republican parties who organize the elections work hard, so it’s the least the poll workers can do, they said.

The workers are paid for their time, $75 a day, but many will tell you they aren’t in for the money.

Tuesday night, as the votes were being tabulated, the poll workers in both precincts I visited looked just plain tired. Their faces were, understandably, slightly unwelcoming. But, once I approached them their friendliness rose to the top again.

It was a long day, they all admitted, but worth it. Most poll workers I talked with are repeats. They’ve done it once, then come back for a few more elections.

For the most part, Election Day was uneventful for those working at the Thompson School precinct. Voters came in a steady stream, but the numbers weren’t as high as in the Aug. 7 primary, several workers said.

Only one voter who voted Republican in the primary came seeking a chance to vote Tuesday. She was told that she would not be able to vote, because it was a Democratic primary.

And between the voters, things got fun at Thompson. A crew of five poll workers and two poll watchers created “atmosphere” they said. A few jokes, a few stories and a relaxed environment meant getting to know folks you might not know that well, they said.

This group of workers didn’t need thank yous; they had fun.

But whether they need it or not, the seven at Thompson school and the hundred or so who served at other polls deserve one giant thank you from us all.

They heeded the call to civic duty, and made our right to vote a possibility.

Another election rolls around in November, and there will be more to come after that. Perhaps the rest of us should consider serving our county and our country like those who’ve gone before us.

Julie Finley is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.finley@natchezdemocrat.com.