ORLANDO, Fla. – The current head of the Osceola County elections office is up for reelection in November, and facing a challenge from a first-time candidate with concerns about election integrity.
The Osceola County supervisor of elections is in charge of overseeing the office that registers people to vote, maintains voter rolls, qualifies local candidates for races, sends out vote-by-mail ballots, staffs and manages polling locations, and makes sure votes are tabulated and election results are determined with accuracy and transparency.
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The supervisor has to navigate a complicated set of election laws and rules to make sure all of this is done and deal with the public, including those who question the accuracy of elections.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, with early voting underway from Monday, Oct. 21 through Sunday, Nov. 3. Let’s meet the candidates.
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MARY JANE ARRINGTON — Campaign website
Arrington has been elections supervisor since 2008, and before that was on the county commission. She is a certified elections professional through Auburn University. Arrington counts among her accomplishments increasing early voting days and locations, getting postage paid for vote-by-mail ballots, increasing election security, and expanding voter outreach programs, including at schools. She says she’s done this while also keeping the office’s budget in check.
The office also got a new operations center recently.
One of her biggest concerns is that Osceola County is building new communities so fast, without decent locations for polling precincts. She said these communities become “polling place deserts” in a recent interview with News 6′s Louis Bolden.
Arrington says she has also tried to work with people who believe there are widespread irregularities in the election system, and encourages anyone with doubts to become election workers.
Arrington’s family is well-known in local politics. Her son is Osceola County Commissioner Brandon Arrington, and her daughter-in-law is State Rep. Kristen Arrington.
[RELATED: Here’s how your vote gets counted and verified]
JIM TRAUTZ — Campaign website
Jim Trautz is a Naval veteran who has worked in defense contracting and as an ordained minister. He came to Florida in 2021, and says he is running to restore trust in the electoral system. His website says he wants to implement reforms to make sure ballot counting is accurate, though he doesn’t offer many specifics. He also has concerns about noncitizens voting. Trautz has served as a poll watcher and volunteered on political campaigns. He is endorsed by several conservative groups.
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