From the Editor’s Desk:

August 16, 2024 – If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – one way or another: Vote and Vote Wisely. Your Vote is Your Voice. Vote in every election.

So here we are, at the tail end of early voting here in Orange County for the 2024 Primary Election. (Election day is Tuesday, August 20.) Early voting started on Aug. 5 and will end on Aug. 18.

Have you voted by mail or early at one of the 22 Early Voting Locations within the county, including the Supervisor of Elections Office? If not, what are your voting plans? I hope you have taken the time to at least “goggle” the names of the candidates on your Sample Ballot (which you should have gotten if you are registered to vote.)

Here in Orange County, there are several key public offices that are partisan (party specific) and nonpartisan (non-party specific) – including quite a few judicial offices. This means that ALL REGISTERED VOTERS CAN VOTE FOR SOMETHING FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION.

In some of the public office races, several candidates did not qualify before the deadline or they dropped out late in the game. This is true for the race for Sheriff (incumbent John Mina), Clerk of Court (incumbent Tiffany Moore Russell) and Property Appraiser (incumbent Amy Mercado).

But we are voting for a new Supervisor of Elections in a heated race. The candidates are: Karen Castor Dentel (former school board member), Sunshine Linda-Marie Grund (real estate broker and National Guard veteran), Dan Helm (local attorney) and Wes Hodge (real estate broker and political organizer).

Hope you all are keeping up.

Helm sued retired Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles in the past and filed a lawsuit recently against candidate Cynthia Harris (no party affiliation) and Glenn Gilzean, who was appointed several months ago to replace Cowles by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Helm accused Harris of improperly paying the required filing fee to qualify for the race, according to reports. Something about using a personal account instead of a designated campaign account to pay the qualifying fee to get in the race. Seems technical to me but hey, I’m not an attorney. Yet, Helm wants the job. To my associates who are attorneys: couldn’t Harris qualify as a write-in candidate? I mean, if the fee was paid and paid on time, why not?

Anyway, who do you want to represent you locally, statewide and nationally?

Look at your Sample Ballot, for this election, there are multiple candidates for United States Senator and Representative, State Senator and Representative, Florida Public Defender, county Tax Collector and about a half dozen circuit and county judges as well as county commissioners. You will see familiar names – even some blasts from the past. Many of the candidates for school board and county commission are newcomers to public office.

I will not publish any recommendations or endorsements for the upcoming election but maybe, just maybe, I will for the November Presidential Election. (Let me pray about that one!)

Go vote and my suggestion, with all of the changes happening in our election system, VOTE EARLY and VOTE WISELY.

It’s past time for us to vote for servant leaders. People who have our best interests at heart, on a majority basis. People who aim to do the right thing, no matter the political party or special interest groups with big money. PLUS, character and integrity do matter!

WE know God is in control of it all. WE still have to do our part.

Click here to see the hours and locations for early voting Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18: https://www.ocfelections.com/early-voting