Crabapple Blossoms

The clerks of the county are in revolt. Once again, just before an election, the state's Government election Accountability Board (GAB) has updated the form we have to fill out after an election asking for more information. Jerry, the clerk from a neighboring town, sent an e-mail to the GAB (cc'ing all of us) stating that the info they wanted was only for political purposes and they had no right to request it. The GAB responded "how happy they were to receive his feedback" and that a state statute allowed them "to request any data that would improve the election process". I then responded asking how the process could be improved by requesting our election costs? The GAB responded "how happy they were to receive my feedback" and that, for instance, in the future the state might want to give funds to the towns to offset their costs. (Since just this year, the state stopped the pittance they were giving us for opening the polls an hour early, I know they aren't considering "funding" us in any way.) Then another clerk send a blunt e-mail to the GAB asking what the penalty was if we just didn't give them the information. It's been a whole day and the GAB hasn't responded to that one. Probably hoping we'll cool down if they don't keep feeding the fire w/ their banal replies of "how happy they are to receive our feedback...."