Whitman County Auditor Eunice Coker retires

County Auditor Eunice Coker's retirement party was in the commissioners chambers Tuesday afternoon with cookies, cupcakes and cake pops provided by the auditors staff.

Raised in Colfax, Coker had a stint with the Army in the military police at Fort McPherson, Ga., from 1975 to 1977 and returned to Colfax.

Coker started in the Treasurer's office in 1984 under Mary Crawford, who Coker says is "the best person in the world." After working in the treasurer's office for 18 years, she filed for the auditor's position in the 2002 election.

Coker won the office by a single vote. In the first count, she fell behind her opponent, Kirk Suess of Steptoe, by such a small margin that a recount was required. The second count had the opponents even closer and they had to do another recount, this time by hand. When counted by hand, a single vote in her favor made the difference.

Knowing that half of the voting population opposed her, Coker worked to build trust.

The experience was also good training for her to conduct the next state governor election of Gregoire vs. Rossi in 2004, which likewise had a second automated recount and a recount after that by hand.

In the next two county elections, Coker won against opposition. The last time she ran for the office, she did so unopposed.

Coker noted the election process has gone through a lot of changes during her time in office, and she expects many more changes in the years ahead.

"I have been able to say I have kept my personal integrity throughout all the muck," said Coker.

Coker rates one of her top accomplishments was back-scanning the record archives. Whitman County has records that go back to the 1800s. By this spring, all the records should be digitally back-scanned into the archives in Cheney.

"There they can digitally live happily ever after," Coker said, smiling.

Coker feels she has a good husband, and a good family which includes five grandchildren and families including the auditor's office and elections staffs.

Coker will remain accessible through the auditor's office until Dec. 30. Coker said her lead item for her retirement will be to "go be normal."

She plans to do work on her house and yard, and make short trips to places she has never been and visit friends and family residing in the northwest.