Statement from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections

Statement from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections

Empowering Voters, Enhancing Access: A Milestone in Electoral Transparency and Innovation

Orange County, FL (June 14, 2024) – It is an honor to address you today not just as the proud son of immigrants, not just as a husband and Floridian, but as your Orange County Supervisor of Elections.

There are many ways to engage in public service, but perhaps none are more crucial than the work Florida’s 67 supervisors of elections perform to ensure that every vote counts.

Elections are the bedrock of our Republic; it is “we the people” who raise our voices, stand up, and are counted. “We” chart the course of this great country every time we cast a ballot.

When I was asked by Governor Ron DeSantis to step into this role, I did so knowing the full magnitude of what was to come. In November, residents across Orange County will head to the polls to make their voices heard in critical races from The White House to Congress, to Tallahassee, and here at home.

I took on this challenge knowing I was stepping into an office with a proud history of efficient elections. Under the leadership of Supervisor Bill Cowles, this office navigated changes to voting rules and methods, technology, and tremendous growth.

We stand here today as the 5th largest county in the state, and soon to be the 4th. As such, the challenges facing elections will only increase.

In my time in this important role, I have embraced challenges the same way I have in other public offices, asking what can be done, and then finding innovative ways to implement improvements.

We’ve expanded the number of polling locations, taken an aggressive role in engaging a new generation of poll workers, implemented the first-ever live stream of the election process to increase transparency and voter confidence, and taken a hard look at how we reach voters to ensure there are no barriers between the public and their ability to lawfully vote.

Along the way, I’ve been heartened by the support I’ve received from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who know that when you stand in the Supervisor of Elections office, the focus is the integrity of our elections.  That integrity is the bedrock of our democracy.  It is a key component of what makes America special.

The programs our team put in place already, and the ones that are just beyond the horizon, will take some time to fully materialize, but I earnestly believe they will fundamentally transform this office into a model of election integrity—not just in Florida, but in our wonderful nation.

I would like to see the programs through and be here when they deliver on this promise.

But I also know my job first and foremost is to guide this office through November’s pivotal election.

So, I will see that through. I will continue to push for the changes that have been made and the ones to come; and yes, I will ensure that this upcoming election is a beacon of trust, transparency, and efficiency.

With the help of God and the greatest elections staff in the state, we will deliver, and in doing so, we will have accomplished the one thing I was asked to do in the spring: guide this office through to the next chapter.

But I will leave that next chapter to the next supervisor.

I offer the voters’ pick in the November election my unwavering support to continue this honorable work, with this fine staff, in this accomplished office.

GOD bless you and the Free State of Florida!