BOULDER, Mont. — Bonnie Ramey has seen and done it all in her nearly four decades of service in Jefferson County.

“There are a lot of variations between being the clerk and recorder, assessor, surveyor, and election administrator,” said Ramey, who is resigning from her many positions after 38 years with Jefferson County, the last 36 spent as clerk and recorder.

Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Representative Marta Bertoglio (R, HD-75) celebrated Ramey’s tenure on Friday morning, thanking her for her service and for her many contributions in Jefferson County and across Montana.

“Thirty-six years is an incredible career,” said Secretary Jacobsen. “Bonnie Ramey has dedicated her life to serving Jefferson County, and proved instrumental in assisting the Secretary of State’s office with administrative rules related to records retention. Her experience and leadership will be greatly missed.”

Ramey has been a member of the Montana Elections Technology Advisory Committee since its inception in 2005 and was a contributing member for the last 16 years. She played an integral role in crafting the MT Votes system and assisted in the development of best practices for all aspects of elections. Her voice has been especially valuable in small-to-medium counties, offering advice on election notices, ballot procedures, and much more.

“One of my favorite things is working with the election judges in all areas of the county,” said Ramey. “I love how diverse the county is — from tiny Elk Park to Montana City and Whitehall — and the differences in what people want and expect from their election administrator. It’s been fun to see how elections have evolved over this period of time.”

“Bonnie is an election official that is approachable and is always available to assist in training newer election officials, and (she’s) available to answer any questions,” said Jefferson County Election Administrator Clerk Ginger Kunz, who has been appointed as Ramey’s replacement. Kunz assumes the role on July 1, 2021.