Miami County’s election board Wednesday hired long-time employee Bev Kendall as interim director to get through the Nov. 6 presidential election following last week’s abrupt resignation of Director Steve Quillen.

Quillen cited the stress of the presidential election in his one sentence, hand written resignation letter submitted Thursday following a board meeting. The board accepted the resignation at a special meeting Friday, when it also voted to terminate a temporary election employee Monika Wanamaker of Troy.

Kendall, a Republican, has worked at the elections office for 14 years. She will be paid the same salary as the Democratic deputy director, Pam Calendine, of $1,641 bi-weekly.

The board did not set a time frame for the interim position.

The board met in a brief executive session early Wednesday before voting unanimously to hire Kendall. Chairman Roger Luring said she “has years and years of experience” with the elections office and “has a wonderful working relationship with the existing staff.”

The board, Luring added, is “very, very confident that she and Pam Caldendine will get us through the election.”

The hiring will allow the board’s two Republican members, Robert Huffman Jr. and Jose Lopez, to interview candidates for the director position. Calendine, who has worked at the elections office for eight years, will continue as deputy director. The Republicans said they have had people express interest in the appointment.

A prospective outside candidate for interim director was ready to meet with the board Wednesday before it spoke with Kendall, who agreed to accept the interim position. Luring said the prospective candidate had experience in Montgomery County with the registration side of an election operation.

Luring would not say Friday whether Quillen’s resignation and Wanamaker’s termination were related. He thanked Quillen for his service, but would not comment further.

Quillen was appointed director in March 2002 following a chaotic November 2001 election. He oversaw presidential elections in 2004 and 2008. He said in a Friday interview that he resigned because of election-related stress, but said he wanted to assure voters the election staff was more than capable of carrying out the election.

A review of personnel files of Quillen and Wanamaker showed no disciplinary measures against either. Wanamaker’s file included paperwork showing she first was hired as temporary election help in spring 2007.