Kudos to the one local institution that has stood fast against the turbulent political headwinds, whether it's President Trump's attempt to hijack the U.S. Postal Service to squelch voting by mail, or the head-spinning changes to congressional districts coming out of the state capitol. Your countysupervisor of elections office deserves accolades.
Over the years, Florida has weathered the threat to use the U.S. Postal Service to screen vote-by-mail ballots, the president's bluster over the SAVE Act, the redrawing of congressional districts to keep the GOP majority in the House, the state's circumvention of voting rights for ex-felons, the restrictions to third-party ballot assistance, the way signatures are collected for ballot initiatives, the changes
that made it harder to drop off a ballot, the increased frequency of voting roll purges ― it's a long list of controversy leading up to what's expected to be a pivotal election.
No matter the policy, or outright noise, that has undermined trust in the Florida's voting process, Florida's 67 elections supervisors have remained true to their office's mission ― ensuring that Florida's elections are fair, honest and accurate. Not an easy task even in the best of conditions, and certainly one that has become more difficult now.
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link has seen it on both the local and state fronts. As former president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections, she advocated for more federal funding to run elections. She also urged state and federal lawmakers for better protection against threats of violence to election workers and volunteers.
At home, she has constantly pushed for improvements in technology and greater operating efficiencies. She has also welcomed observers from all walks of life, from every political persuasion, into her operations with the hope that the tours she often conducts herself will help voters understand that the voting process is safe, fair and effective.
The supervisors have their work cut out for them as mail-in ballots go out and sites are confirmed for early voting next month. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis once used the words "gold standard" to describe our state's voting process. It's true, and the primary reason is the men and women who run the state's supervisor of elections offices.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Elections supervisors stand tall in a tumultuous election | Opinion
