ORLANDO, Fla. – As election season approaches, Central Florida’s election supervisors are confronting not only logistical challenges but also ongoing skepticism from election deniers.
In a recent discussion, supervisors from five counties addressed how they build and maintain trust in their election processes.
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Ensuring transparency
Lisa Lewis, the Volusia County supervisor, emphasized how the election process in her county is open to public view.
“We process the ballots, tabulate them, and the canvassing board is in one room.
The public is five feet from our tables.
It has always been out in the open,” she explained, stressing the level of transparency involved.
This openness, she hopes, reassures voters of the integrity of their elections.
In Orange County, Glen Gilzean highlighted the role of technology in bolstering trust.
“We were the first in the state, and arguably the country, to implement a live stream feature,” he said.
This measure allows the public to observe the process from start to finish, adding an extra layer of transparency.
Education and outreach
Chris Anderson of Seminole County took another approach, creating an Elections Academy in 2019.
This program invited voters from various political affiliations to learn the intricacies of the election process.
“We taught them everything from how your application is processed to serving as a supervisor of elections.
These folks became ambassadors in the community,” Anderson explained.
He credits the program with helping to build a network of informed voters who now serve as election workers.
Dealing with election deniers
Supervisors were also asked how they handle those who question the legitimacy of elections.
Mary Jane Arrington from Osceola County believes education is key, encouraging skeptics to work as election workers for just one cycle.
“The information they’re going to garner far outweighs any other experience,” she said.
Alan Hays of Lake County echoed this sentiment, mentioning that his office has offered weekly tours for the past six years to provide a firsthand look at the election process.
“We welcome the opportunity to help them understand,” Hays said.
Emotional toll on election workers
When asked if election denial bothers her, Lisa Lewis responded emotionally.
“Whenever you start talking about it here, you make us feel like we don’t know what we’re doing,” she said.
She emphasized the dedication of her staff, many of whom return to serve in elections year after year.
“We truly do not care what you are registered as or who you vote for. That’s your business.”
The supervisors collectively stressed the importance of maintaining transparency and trust while navigating the challenges of election skepticism.
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