Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I,Ref-Schoharie) on Tuesday joined Schoharie County Republican Elections Commissioner Kenneth Schweigard in presenting retiring Schoharie County Board of Elections Deputy Commissioners Richard Shultes and Sara Davies-Griffin with New York State Assembly citations honoring their long careers in public service. Shultes and Davies-Griffin were instrumental in leading the Schoharie Board of Elections through recovery and digitization efforts following Hurricane Irene in 2011 and also in adapting to unprecedented circumstances in the 2020 election, facilitating both early and mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to working for the Board of Elections, Shultes owns and operates a bowling alley and catering company in the community while Davies-Griffin has worked as a public employee at both Schoharie County Social Services and the Treasurer’s office.

“Richard and Sara were true assets to our community, both as exceptional public employees and as neighbors,” said Tague. “In their careers Richard and Sara faced daunting challenges during both Hurricane Irene and the present-day COVID-19 pandemic, but were able to overcome them and make our Board of Elections in Schoharie better than ever in the process. These two exemplify the spirit of resilience and perseverance that has carried our community through the difficulties we’ve faced over the years, and the work they’ve done has impacted our community in a way we’ll all benefit from for decades to come.”