Today is Election Day

After several months of intense campaigning by local candidates and a hotly contested Presidential race, Election Day is finally here and the eight polling stations located throughout the county opened at 7AM and will close at 7PM tonight.

Born on Election Day

I grew up in an era where my father and mother drilled into my siblings and myself the importance of voting in every election, regardless of whether the election was a local school board race, a state senator’s race, or the race for the Presidency of the United States of America.

My mother often reminded me that the only election in which she did not vote, was in the election held in November 1959, the month, and year of my birth.

During that year’s election, my mother was in the delivery room at George E. Weems Memorial Hospital in labor and giving birth to me.

She wanted to vote, but because of me, she couldn’t.

Her account of the event was so inspiring that four months after I reached my 18th birthday I went to the Supervisor of Election office and registered to vote.

In our democracy, we hold elections for federal offices on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November, so the earliest possible date for a federal election is November 2 and the latest is November 8.

Since my birth, on November 7, 1959, my birthday has fallen on Election Day a total of 8-times, with the next occurrence in the year 2017.

Some states including Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia have passed laws making Election Day a legal holiday. Other states have laws that allow workers to take time off from work to vote without reprisal, and often without loss of compensation.

I know firsthand the importance of voting. In 1993, during my first campaign for a seat on the Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners, I lost that election by just 14 votes. At stake in this year’s election is the local education of our children and the future direction of our country.

Although November 4, is neither my birthday nor a legal holiday, however, it is Election Day and you need to get up, get out, and vote.

Crist Extends Early Voting Hours

Early today Governor Charlie Crist signed an Executive Order that will extend the hours for early voting during the 2008 General Election throughout the State of Florida.

According to Executive Order 08-217, effective immediately early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.

The governor has made this move because Florida is expecting a historic voter turnout in this year’s election and the governor feels that election officials will be unable to conduct orderly elections, thereby depriving residents of meaningful opportunities to exercise their rights to vote.

An estimated 2 million Floridians have already cast a ballot over the last eight days, now with the extended hours; thousands more will have the same opportunity.

All voters are permitted to cast their ballots at any designated early voting location within the county, regardless of where they live. Here is Franklin County the location are at the Supervisor of Elections Office in Apalachicola at 47 Avenue F and the other at the Courthouse Annex on the outskirts of Carrabelle at 1647 U.S. Highway 98 East.

Click HERE to review Governor Crist’s Executive Order

H’COLA’s Final Political Forum

There was no October surprise as undecided voters living in the North side community of Apalachicola aka “The Hill” attended a political forum Thursday night hosted by the Hillside Coalition of Laborers for Apalachicola (H’COLA).

The forum was a series of two hosted by the group over the past three months. On July 31, H’COLA hosted a similar forum aimed at educating Hillside voters concerning the issues facing them in the 2008 primaries elections.

On hand last night and eager to share their platforms with the near capacity crowd, were candidates running for Franklin County Sheriff, Property Appraiser, and Superintendent of Public Schools. As with the July forum, David Walker, Pastor of the Covenant Word Christian Center moderated the event.

With eleven days left until the General Election, the candidates made no missteps or gaffes. Some read from prepared text while others stuck to their campaign rhetoric heard over the course of this election.

Up first were the two candidates vying for the office of Sheriff, Bruce Barnes (Rep), and his opponent Skip Shiver (Dem). The winner of the race will serve a four-year term and receive an annually base salary of $99,307.

Candidates for Sheriff discussing Community Policing Programs.

The two candidates seeking the office of Property Appraiser, Incumbent Doris Pendleton (Dem) and Richard Harper (Rep) were up next. The winner here will advance to become the next Franklin County Property Appraiser and earn an annual base salary of $90,721.

Candidates for Property Appraiser discussing Duties of the Office.

Considered by many to be the most important race in Franklin County this political season, the three candidates running for the office of Superintendent of Public Schools, Denise Butler (Rep), Nina Marks (Dem) and Will Kendrick (NPA) took center stage to answer a wide range of questions from the audience. The winner of this contest will enjoy but certainly earn the annual base salary of $90,721.

Candidates for School Superintendent making their Opening & Closing remarks.

Footage and photos by Gail D. Johnson

Early voting starts today

Leading up to the November 4, General Election, early voting has started today in the City of Apalachicola and across the State for all local, state, and national races.

According to the Franklin County Supervisor of Elections website, early voting will begin at 8:30 AM and end at 4:30 PM today and each day through Saturday, November 1, 2008.

When appearing to vote early, you must present a Florida drivers license, a Florida identification card, or another form of picture and signature identification, if you have no identification, you will be required to vote a Provisional Ballot.

The election office has setup two Early Voting Sites throughout Franklin County, one at the Supervisor of Elections Office in Apalachicola at 47 Avenue F and the other at the Courthouse Annex on the outskirts of Carrabelle at 1647 U.S. Highway 98 East.

When it matters to you

A dear friend of mine sent me an email the other day that reminded me that decisions made by local government have the greatest impact on our daily lives, more than at any other level of government.

She recalled an axiom attributed to former Speaker of the House, the late Thomas Phillip “Tip” O’Neill, Jr., (Dec. 9, 1912 – Jan. 5, 1994). O’Neill served as the 55th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and he had the privilege of serving under three different U.S. Presidents: Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

During the span of his political career, O’Neill embraced the essence of public service and embodied the idea that elected officials could make a positive difference in the lives of the people that elected them.

Based upon those principles, O’Neill coined the phrase “All Politics Is Local” which suggests that the success of an elected official is directly tied to his or her ability to connect and act accordingly toward the concerns that matters to the people.

In other words, the everyday concerns of those who we ask to elect us to office should become paramount to our service while in office.

With that said, over the past year or more the following items have dominated the local media and I can’t help but wonder if they have not been the main topic of discussion around the family dinner table:

The reduction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of freshwater flow down the Apalachicola River System; the exorbitant amount of property taxes imposed upon the citizenry by local government; a return to an at large voting system; and a stable educational system for our children, one that’s conducive to learning.

Whether you are a proponent or opponent of any of the above is unimportant, what is important is the ability of our elected officials to comprehend and act accordingly toward your concerns.

O’Neill had it right when he said, “I have been in politics all my life. I am proud to be a politician. No other career affords as much opportunity to help people. Let us not concern ourselves with what we have tried and failed, but with what it is still possible to do. Let us spare no energy that the nation and the world may be better for our efforts.”

When it matters to you, than it should matter to us and not just during an election year but also, during our entire term in office.

H’COLA to host second Political forum

Candidates running for Sheriff, Property Appraiser, and Superintendent of Schools will be on hand Oct. 23 for a second political forum hosted by the Hillside Coalition of Laborers for Apalachicola (H’COLA).

The forum will start at 6PM at the Franklin Square Recreation Center on 6th Street on the North side of Apalachicola.
In late July, the H’COLA group held a similar forum before the primary election that featured candidates running for Circuit Judge for the Second Judicial Circuit as well as countywide races. The format at that forum allowed each candidate two minutes to make an introductory statement before the moderator fielded written questions from the audience.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend this second and final forum sponsored by this group to find out where the candidates stand on the issues before the Nov. 4 general election.

For more information, telephone Tami Ray-Hutchinson at (850) 653-7515 or email: tamirh@fairpoint.net.

You should’ve Been There

For nearly three hours this past Thursday, July 31, candidates running for county offices and Circuit Judge met with voters at the Franklin Square Recreation Center for a political forum sponsored by the H’COLA group.

Pastor David Walker, from Covenant Word Christian Center moderated the event and fielded questions from the more than 100 people present at the forum. The questions covered a broad range of subjects from stability in our public school system to equity in the enforcement of drug related crimes.

Walker allotted each candidate two-minutes to introduce him or herself and to share their positions with the voters.

Beginning the evening were the candidates that are running unopposed for reelection, in attendance were - Clerk of Circuit Court, Marcia Johnson (Dem) and County Commission Chairman, Noah Lockley, Jr., (Dem).

Also in attendance were three nonpartisan candidates for Circuit Judge for the Second Judicial Circuit, which include Franklin County, Group 3- David Frank and Group 16– incumbent Judge Angela Dempsey and Bill Miller, both Frank and Miller are practicing attorney’s.

In the County at-large races attending were all three candidates for Sheriff – Bruce Barnes (Rep), incumbent Sheriff Mike Mock (Dem), and Skip Shiver (Dem). The two candidates present and seeking the office of Supervisor of Elections were - Ida Cooper Elliott (Dem) and Renee Shiver Griffin (Dem). Those candidates present and running for Property Appraiser were - Richard Harper (Rep) and incumbent Property Appraiser Doris Pendleton (Dem). Lastly, three of the four candidates vying for Superintendent of Schools, Denise Butler (Rep), Nina Marks, (Dem), and Temolynn Wintons (Dem) attended. The fourth candidate Will Kendrick (NPA) was out of town and could not make the forum.

You should have been there as each candidate shared enough about himself or herself and their vision for the offices they are seeking to arm the 100 plus crowd with the necessary information to make informed decisions come Election Day.

However, you may have yet another chance to attend. At the conclusion of the forum Elinor Mount-Simmons, President of H’COLA announced plans for a similar forum for candidates that remain in the race after the August 26 primary.

Candidates Forum

As a public service to the community, The Hillside Coalition of Laborers for Apalachicola, Inc., (H’COLA), will be holding a candidates’ forum for all countywide offices on Thursday, July 31 at 6 p.m. at the Franklin Square recreation center on Sixth Street in Apalachicola. Candidates for Supervisor of Elections, Superintendent, and Sheriff will be on hand to present their positions and to respond to questions from the audience.

All concerned citizens from throughout the county are encouraged to attend; this is an excellent opportunity to meet the candidate’s and ask them questions concerning the issues most important to you.

For more information, contact Tami Ray-Hutchinson via email: tamirh@fairpoint.net or tel: (850) 653-7515.