Q&A of the Day – ExpressVote Elections Systems & PBC’s Canvassing Meeting
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
Email: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com
Social: @brianmuddradio
iHeartRadio: Use the Talkback feature – the microphone button on our station’s page in the iHeart app.
Today’s Entry: @brianmuddradio Michael Barnett doesn’t listen as we express our concerns over election integrity. Express machines are a topic SOE Wendy Link doesn’t want to discuss with the public. We are spending an incredible amount of money for tyranny. PBC wake up!
Bottom Line: Today’s note is one of several I received expressing concerns about Palm Beach County’s voting systems, Supervisor of Elections Wendy Link and the PBSO’s role in a removing a concerned citizen from last week’s canvassing meeting. As always there are two sides to stories and one side to facts. The fact of the matter is that Palm Beach County has had a highly questionable past when it comes to running elections. At the same time, it’s also a fact that we haven’t had anything occur since the 2018 cycle that’s been improper with the voting systems or tabulation of votes in Palm Beach County. There’s currently no indication that we’re set for issues this cycle either. However, there was a firestorm that was created following the dissemination of this note on social media with accompanying video of a concerned resident being removed from last week’s canvassing meeting. I was also tagged in this note when it was originally sent it read:
Breaking News: 9.25.2024 Palm Beach County, Florida at the Supervisor of Elections office the current SOE Wendy Link has an American Patriot removed from a Pre Canvassing meeting for asking questions. Look at the manner in which these Deputy Sheriffs manhandle this Mother…
I took time to investigate the matter before reporting back on it, however quickly I knew that there were issues with the characterization of this event. The note stated that Palm Beach County’s Supervisor of Elections Wendy Link had the concerned citizen removed from the canvassing meeting. Wendy Link wasn’t a member of the canvassing board. The three members of the bipartisan canvassing board were/are:
- Judge April Bristow (Chair of the Board)
- County Commissioner Greg Weiss
- PBC Vice Mayor Maria Marino
Wendy Link didn’t order the removal of the woman in question. Judge Bristow, an appointee of Governor Ron DeSantis did. Also of note is that the guidelines for public comment were laid out ahead of time stating:
- The public may offer comments to the Canvassing Board at this meeting for all items on the agenda. The Chair shall have the discretion to set speaking time limits as he or she deems appropriate. Please complete a Comments by the Public Card and place it in the box labeled “Comments by the Public Cards” located at the designated entrance to the room, prior to the start of the public comment period (which is at the start of the meeting). Cards will not be accepted once the comment period has begun. When your name is called, please stand and state your name for the record. Any person making impertinent comments to the agenda or slanderous remarks or who becomes boisterous while addressing the Canvassing Board shall be barred from further audience before the Canvassing Board by the presiding Chair.
In watching the video its evident public comment procedures weren’t followed prior to the removal. On that note the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office addressed the matter saying:
Important Clarification: We are aware of a video circulating regarding an incident that took place at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections. It is important to clarify the context. During this meeting, an attendee repeatedly interrupted proceedings despite the judge’s warnings. Following the judge's request, our deputies escorted the individual out to maintain order. The person later apologized and understood why these steps were taken. Maintaining freedom of speech, order, and safety for all residents is among our top priority. We hope this clarifies the incident.
As for the matter of ExpressVote machines here are a couple of especially important facts to know. Under Florida law local elections supervisors can’t go rouge in bringing in questionable voting systems. The Florida Division of Elections vets and presents vendor options to the county supervisors. Currently there are two vendors authorized to operate within Florida. Dominion Voting Systems and Election Systems and Software. ExpressVote is a system of Election Systems and Software. I’ve been around the block long enough to know that if PBC were using a Dominion product (which the county used to use), there would still be many concerned citizens.
The me to you on this, is this. Being a concerned citizen who engages the process is a great thing. It’s also important to be accurately informed as well. What happened at the canvassing meeting and in subsequent false/misleading reporting about the event online is an example of what can happen when you have people who may have their hearts in the right place, but maybe without a full understanding of the facts and dynamics in play. Palm Beach County is doing and has done what the Florida Division of Elections has directed the county to do.
As always, I’ll watch this election cycle like a hawk. Hopefully there will never be a need to do what I’ve done in the past a la the 2018 cycle in exposing the corruption in Broward and Palm Beach County, stopping the illegal vote tabulations and forcing the ouster of both county election supervisors. Florida’s election integrity laws in recent years have tightened up processes considerably. But if the time arises, I’ll do it again. We’re not there and it’s also important to remember that under Florida law every vote has a paper backup.