I share the bittersweet news that Pam Fessler, who has been covering voting-related issues for NPR, is retiring July 9.

Pam has covered voting rights longer and better than anyone else on this beat. Her reporting is always deep, careful, and absent of hyperbole or rumor. It’s a politically fraught area but she manages to speak to everyone who matters and to get to the heart of these difficult issues. She’s the consummate professional, and her reporting on these issues is going to be important decades from now for understanding the historical record of our difficult times.

Pam has been with NPR for 28 years and a reporter for 47, so she’s certainly earned a rest. But the field is going to suffer without her voice. I hope she finds a way to stay involved in voting and democracy issues as she enjoys her retirement.

In addition to covering voting, Pam has also covered poverty and philanthropy at NPR. And she’s author of the award-winning book, Carville’s Curse: Leprosy, Stigma, and the Fight for Justice.

It’s truly the end of an era, and I will miss our frequent conversations about the state of, and how to improve, American elections and democracy.

Here’s to a long and healthy retirement, Pam!