Kaiti Lenhart
Age: 35
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Candidate's family: Married 10 years to Bryon C. Lenhart. We have two children, ages 1 and 4 years.
Occupation: Flagler County Supervisor of Elections
Education: B.A. Psychology. Florida Elections Professional Level II Certification.
Political experience:
What do you see as the top three issues in this race?
1. Technology. Flagler County will have a new voting system next year. I have finalized negotiations with the Department of State to secure Federal grant funding to upgrade our aged voting equipment. We will now have over $147,000 to offset the cost of our new voting system. I will continue to serve on the Online Voter Registration Committee of the Florida State Association of Supervisors (FSASE). Online voter registration is scheduled for October 2017.
2. Voter Outreach. A community is made stronger through an active and informed electorate. I will continue taking the Elections Office into the community at local events and festivals. I plan to build partnerships with our local schools to offer a hands-on voting experience for students to become engaged citizens.
3. Precincts. I will analyze current precincts and redraw boundaries with input from voters throughout the process to provide better access to polling locations. Voter registration totals reflect that many of our current precincts have outgrown their facilities. Additional precincts must be justified by a detailed cost analysis.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I was appointed as the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections in January 2015 by the Governor of Florida. I am the only candidate with years of Elections Administration experience working in the Flagler County Elections Office. Nearly seven years of experience and a full, working knowledge of the Florida Election Law has allowed me to become a hands-on Supervisor, leading the team in all aspects necessary to conduct a successful election. I have a proven record of fierce dedication and tackling challenges head-on, even when the challenge seems impossible. I have passion for elections because I believe in the process. The Supervisor of Elections provides the most essential function of local government: the free election of our representatives in Federal, state and local offices. Since my appointment, I haven't stopped working to restore relationships between other local agencies while creating an atmosphere of teamwork and transparency.There are so many "firsts" in Flagler County happening right now in your Elections Office. When I was appointed, I completely reorganized the office with a focus on budget reduction, a consistent filing system, low-cost updates to current technology and staff training with a focus on superior customer service. I have started partnerships between the Elections Office and non-profit organizations with the Adopt-A-Precinct program to staff precincts and engage the community in Flagler County. I have demonstrated a commitment to building relationships between local government agencies by consolidating services and saving taxpayer dollars for the delivery of election equipment and poll worker training facilities. Instead of reacting to the needs of voters, I have implemented a proactive, Voter-Focused Education Program to raise awareness of the voting process and encourage citizen participation by taking the Elections Office into the community through voter registration drives at local events. I developed a volunteer program for trained poll workers to serve in the Voter Education Program alongside Elections Staff as a tax-savings for staff overtime after hours and on weekends. We will receive over $147,000 in Federal grants towards the purchase of a new voting system, meeting the state mandate to upgrade by the year 2020. Ballot on Demand technology is saving the county money during every election and we are providing accurate ballots to each voter during early voting. I am seeking election to a full-term because I believe Flagler County voters deserve to have a Supervisor of Elections who puts their needs first. I have a clear vision for the future of the Elections Office and the foundation has been laid to accomplish much more in the coming years.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I am very actively participating in the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections (FSASE). My vision is to continue to work together with other Supervisors, building these relationships and building our collective knowledge to conduct the bestelections right here in Flagler County. It would be wonderful to be remembered as the Supervisor of Elections who workedwith other professionals in our industry to produce excellence for the voters of Flagler County. To have always kept the focuson the voters of Flagler County, a public servant who put other's needs first. That's memorable.
Campaign Website: VotelenHart.com
Facebook and/or Twitter pages: Facebook.com/SOEKaitiLenhart
Kimble Medley
Age: 56
Candidate's family: Married for 22 years, 3 children, 3 grandchildren
Occupation:Candidate for Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, Graduate Student – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Local Insider Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches
Education: Bachelors in Supervision and Management – Daytona State College Pursuing Masters in Leadership – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Political experience:
Member of the Flagler County Republican Club Founding Secretary Flagler Federated Republican Women Associate Member Flagler County Young Republican Club President AAUW – Flagler Branch Member N.A.A.C.P. – Flagler Branch Former candidate for Flagler Supervisor of Elections 2012 Member Re-Elect Nate McLaughlin Campaign 2014
What do you see as the top three issues in this race?
1) Trust, confidence, and competence must be restored in the aftermath of the former SOE, now facing 9 felony charges, and her hand-picked successor, the acting SOE, whom Weeks is ardently supporting, as evidenced by Weeks' own Facebook posts.
2) Transparency, particularly as it relates to sunshine, documentation, and justification of the budget. I will tie the budget to Florida Statutes and provide online access to taxpayers.
3) Training and education with staff, poll workers, and our community is an absolute must in order to create a culture that promotes empowerment and engagement.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
Here are just two simple ways I can help. One is to provide voters with one stop shopping for their election needs. Voters naturally navigate to the Supervisor of Elections website for voter registration and elections information, particularly during an election year. Website design is critical. Studies show if information is not found after three mouse clicks, customers move on.Under my watch, a website will be designed that will include all election and candidate information, including financial reports for municipal candidates. In May, I observed voters could find who was running for Mosquito Control; but, not Mayor of Palm Coast. This topic was again broached at the June 21 Tea Party meeting. Again, voters were told by the Acting SOE this could not be done because of a software vendor agreement. Blame was also assigned to the City Clerk.This practice of excluding information about municipal candidates from the elections website had been the practice of the office for nearly eight years; despite the fact the Acting SOE, a freelance graphic design and web developer by trade, redeveloped the website in 2010 and was solely responsible for its maintenance. For almost eight years, if voters wished to find information about local city candidates, they had to identify and visit multiple websites and/or contact local city clerks. After providing the Acting SOE with contact and how-to information, only modest improvements have taken place. We have a long way to go. I know how to get it done! Secondly, working with the Flagler County Tax Collector's office to develop a script about Florida's Closed Primary would help mitigate confusion on Primary Election Day is another strategy. The default voter registration for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is No Party Affiliation (NPA). Those registered as NPA cannot vote in closed primary races. Since 1994, according to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, NPA registrations have increased by 473%, most of which is attributed to the default setting. Pre-registration of students, when they turn 16, would provide an opportunity to discuss the closed primary system and allow that student to gather information about political parties so that upon reaching age 18, the student can decide to choose a party or to remain an NPA. This would allow students to be excited to cast their first ballot, rather than disappointed, as many were during the 2016 Presidential Preference Primary. Although this information is easily found on the Voter Registration Application, it is not highlighted.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I would like to be able to look back and know I had developed and implemented programs that not only caused the next generation of voters to become that which the Founders knew was the secret to liberty, an engaged, and informed citizenry; I would like to look back and know conversations around the dinner table, similar to those I had with my parents, had started once again. Our debt, our obligation to pass on to the next generation began when our forefathers refused to bow before any king, and forever revolutionized concepts copied around the globe. That same debt grew when we once again expanded liberty and forever put an exclamation on injustices perpetuated for centuries. Voices of women, once heard in hushed tones, grew louder, so much so our nation was once again rallied to cement voting rights in our Constitution. The 1960s, tumultuous times, historic bus rides, and those willing to endure unspeakable indignities secured voting rights for millions and cleared obstacles that had been entrenched for decades. Today, young men and women answer the call to serve and fight for liberty just as those revolutionaries of 1776 did. We owe them. For me, paying that debt means voting. At the end of the day, I want to know I paid it forward in Flagler County.
Campaign website: VoteForMedley.us
Facebook and/or Twitter pages: Vote For Medley | @VoteforMedley
Abra Seay
Age: 38
Candidate's family: married 18 years, 5 children and 1 grandchild
Occupation: District Administrator for Flagler Schools
Education: Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Bachelors in Exceptional Student Education from the University of Central Florida
Political experience: this is my first elected position sought
What do you see as the top three issues in this race?
1) Restore public confidence in the Supervisor of Elections office. I am the only candidate that has never worked for not been trained by Kim Weeks, the former SOE that was indicted on 12 felony counts.
2) Implement "Be A Voter", my strategic voter outreach program that has two key components, Education and Relationships.
3) Analyze and adjust voting precincts for geographical fairness, convenience and safety. Three of our outlying rural communities need their voting precincts restored, the beachside needs an early voting site and we need to choose alternative polling places instead of our schools.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I am the only candidate that has never worked for nor was trained by Kim Weeks. I have a proven record of outstanding leadership that will heal the black eye of our county that was caused by the previous administration.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I hope to be remembered as an honorable person that diligently served the residents of Flagler County with honest, outstanding leadership.
Campaign Website: www.voteabraseay.com
Facebook and/or Twitter pages: Facebook.com/voteabraseay4SOE | @seay4SOE