Time for a change in Florida’s Elections or just our elections supervisors in Palm Beach and Broward?
Bottom Line: While we watch and wait for this slow-moving train wreck to end in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, there’s another question that came to mind. Since we’re in the only state that seems to have the problems with Supervisors of Elections that we have, is it possible that we’re going about it the wrong way? I decided to look into how many other states handle elections the way we do in Florida. The answer... Only four.
Only Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas share a similar elections system to Florida. That includes an appointed Secretary of State with locally elected Supervisors. On one hand we can point to the commonalities in our failures in Florida. Where they happen – Broward and Palm Beach Counties. On the other hand, we’ve changed over Supervisors of Elections between 2000 and today in both counties and yet incompetence, illegality and infractions arising to the level of voter fraud exist and persist. What’s worse is that it’s routinely voted for by voters in both counties. This takes us to an uncomfortable question. Is it possible that a majority of voters in a county like Broward or Palm Beach would vote for someone who might be willing to break laws if they feel it fits their political objectives?
Is it appropriate for locally elected Supervisors of Elections who can preside over elections that impact all Floridians? I’ve already demonstrated that a minimum of six laws have been violated by both Susan Bucher and Brenda Snipes with a minimum of two arising to the level of voter/electoral fraud in Palm Beach County and three in Broward. What’s more, potentially worse in the context of this conversation, is that we just mandated that Supervisors of Elections be elected positions under Florida’s Constitution. It was included in Amendment 10.
For that reason, it’s even more important that we have full accountability to send the needed message to all future supervisors.