Hazel Montague: Supporting Whatcom County elections for 65 years

How have you seen elections change over 65 years?

When I started, it was the chad (paper) and that was taxing. Chad was a punch card and you punched out the spot that you wanted to vote for. Sometimes the chad stuck in the card and didn’t come out, so we had to pick that out.

What do you think of the system now?

Oh, this is a wonderful system, and they’ve got it down so that I can’t imagine it could be tampered with.

How did you get started as part of the Opening Board at the Election Center?

Before that, I had been, probably, a poll worker for 35 years. One of my friends worked on the Opening Board, and there was an opening. She suggested I come, and so that’s how I got started.

What about elections is so important? Why is it something you want to stay involved with?

If we don’t have elections and the freedom to choose, our democracy is going to go to pot.

What does an ideal day look like for you?

I get up probably about 6 o’clock. I have back problems, and so when I get up, I’m always kind of stiff and whatnot. So I sit in my easy chair with a cup of coffee and I knit. I make hats. 

I also knit hats for the homeless and low-income. I try to make a hat every day. 

I do that in the morning, and then I’ll get up and make sure the cats have something to eat. Then, I probably will work on my quilting.

How many hats have you made?

It’s something like 1,600.

Can you tell us more about the charity quilting you do?

EverGreen Quilters: So we make quilts for — well, we haven’t since COVID — but we used to make them for the hospital. We make them for kidney dialysis (patients), Brigid Collins, Camp Korey.

I personally am involved with making them for their chemo patients. I’ve had a lot of cancer in my family, and so that’s close to my heart to make that.

And, I also make some Quilts of Valor.

Is there anything you want to share with the Bellingham community?

It’s really grown. It’s altogether different than when I grew up.