Guest column: Don't set the bar low when voting in local elections
Voting should be open to as many people as possible because it is the way we speak into the system of laws that govern us. However, lawmakers in Florida have made that increasingly difficult. In response to the 2018 vote when nearly 65 percent of Florida voters supported Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to nearly 1.4 million Floridians with felony records, Florida Senate Bill 7066 restricted people with felonies from voting unless they have completely paid their legal fees.
Many returning citizens live under the poverty line, earn less than minimum wage and spend several years post-prison release paying off these fines, rendering them ineligible to participate in ballot casting for years. Just this year, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 90 into law, which significantly reduces the viability of the vote-by-mail option.
These two bills together will limit votes from people with disabilities and communities of color. Our elected officials are contradicting the desire of the people and passing legislation that is challenging to reverse, even with the strongest advocacy efforts.
Just as important are local elections. Local elections deserve our attention and involvement because these laws impact our daily lives. If we want to see social programs that improve our community, if we want Confederate statues removed from our parks, or if we want to create a city that truly represents each and every one of us, we must vote for politicians who will listen to our voices and act on our behalf.
For those of us who still have the unrestricted right and access to voting, we must take an active role in the process. This means we must do our due diligence when vetting all political candidates from the federal level to the municipal level.
Rather than spending all the time arguing over what we do not want in a candidate, let’s focus on what we do want in our elected officials. We set such a low bar when we are choosing candidates simply because they are the opposite of the last person to hold office — we deserve better than that. Set the bar high by determining which character traits and important issues are critical to you, your family and community and evaluate the candidates who are vying for your vote against that bar.
On Dec. 7, Duval County will have a special City Council-at-Large, Group 3 election to replace the late Tommy Hazouri. This means that every registered voter in the county can vote. Do your research and set the bar high. Utilize resources like the Duval County Supervisor of Elections’ website to learn about current politicians, committees, and voter updates.
After all, if voting was not true power, then there would not be such a concerted effort to take it away. But because you hold this power, candidates should truly earn the privilege to represent you.
Dr. Kimberly Allen is the CEO of 904WARD, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to ending racism.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Guest column: Don't set the bar low when voting in local elections
