Pumpkin may not be as sprightly as he once was. At 13 years old, his once-vibrant orange coat is now speckled with gray, and he’s on a special diet to manage kidney problems. His arthritis has made it harder for him to jump up and rest behind the glass window of the Athens County Board of Elections. As a result, the beloved local celebrity is rarely seen—except during election years.
“It was actually funny. When I was in there, I took a picture of the cat to send to my girlfriend,” said Zach McDonald, an Ohio University (OU) junior. “She’d started visiting me, and we never saw the cat, so I actually thought he was dead. It was nice to finally see him again, and I thought it was a cool thing.”
McDonald was updating his voter registration at the Board of Elections in early October when he had the chance to catch a glimpse of Pumpkin, the chunky, beady-eyed feline who has become a staple of the office.
“[Pumpkin] definitely catches people’s attention. In the past, they might have seen him and thought, ‘Hey, what’s going on here?’ It might even spark some interest in the building and what’s happening there,” McDonald added.
Pumpkin’s journey to the Athens County Board of Elections began in 2012 when an OU student found him abandoned, covered in fleas and mites. The Board of Elections staff decided to step in, with the board—made up of two Democrats and two Republicans—all being cat lovers who voted to allow the adoption of the stray.
“We’re governed by a board of four people: two Democrats and two Republicans. They’re all cat lovers, and they voted to let us keep Pumpkin,” said Debbie Quivey, the director of the Athens County Board of Elections.
The office staff took on the responsibility of caring for Pumpkin, paying for his veterinary bills and providing him with a permanent home at the Court Street office.
“He’s ours. He never goes home with us—this is his domain,” Quivey explained. “We are his staff.”
Quivey, who has worked at the office for over 30 years, affectionately refers to herself as Pumpkin’s “grandma” and rescuer. While she’s not entirely sure why the cat has captured so many hearts, she notes that his grumpy, independent nature might be part of the charm.
“He can be so grouchy. He’ll growl and not want you to hold him or anything,” Quivey admitted. “But people don’t seem to mind. They’ll come back anyway. I think that’s part of his appeal.”
The love for Pumpkin is evident in the fan art, photos, and paintings that are proudly displayed along the front desk of the office, created by local students and residents who have all fallen under the cat’s spell.
As Election Day approaches, Pumpkin continues to serve as a beloved mascot for Athens County, sparking a bit of curiosity—and perhaps even inspiring a few students—to take an interest in voting.
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