June 12 Hot Topics: SOE Candidate Forum
Diana Smith | Published on 5/31/2024
LWVOC Hosts June 12 Candidate Forum for Supervisor of Elections
League of Women Voters of Orange County “Hot Topics” Lunch Series
Register HERE
Bill Clinton was president the last time Orange County voters selected a new supervisor of elections. To help voters decide this fall who to choose for that position, the League of Women Voters of Orange County will host a June 12 Hot Topics session— “Who Has Your Vote? Candidate Forum for Supervisor of Elections.”
Doors open at the Winter Park Events Center at 11:00 for a buffet lunch, and the discussion starts at 11:45 a.m. at 1050 W. Morse Blvd. in Winter Park. The program ends promptly at 1 p.m.
The moderator is attorney Nicholas Shannin, who has served as counsel to the Orange County supervisor of elections for more than a decade. In alphabetical order, the participating candidates who agreed to be part of the forum are Karen Castor Dentel (D), who currently serves on the Orange County School Board; Cynthia Harris (NPA), executive director of a nonprofit that serves the low-income community; Dan Helm (D), a lawyer who has served as deputy regional director for voter protection in Central Florida, and Wes Hodge (D), who served for six years as chairman of the Orange
County Democratic Executive Committee. Current Supervisor of Elections Glen Gilzean (R) has not announced whether he will run for the office, but he has agreed to be at the Hot Topics session to talk about elections issues.
In 1996 Orange County voters chose Bill Cowles as supervisor of elections, and he was re-elected every four years until he retired in January. In March, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Gilzean as the Orange County supervisor of elections. Previously, DeSantis appointed Gilzean as the district administrator of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The June 12 Hot Topics will look at the candidates and their stances on voting issues, including access, security,
innovation and more. Among issues to be discussed:
--What would candidates change about the way Orange County runs its elections? What would stay the same?
--Do all voting precincts have enough drop boxes for ballots?
--Mail-in ballots and early voting have proven to be popular choices. Is this something candidates want to
expand? How will they do that?
--How do candidates plan to keep elections secure?
Tickets are $30 for League members, $37 non-members. Register at www.LWVOC.org/HotTopics Hot Topics is streamed live on the League’s Facebook page Facebook and is available for viewing live on the League’s YouTube channel. League of Women Voters Orange County - YouTube
Visionary sponsors: Phil and Jennifer Anderson. Bronze sponsors: Lyn and David Berelsman and Voting Voices — Michele Levy, Charley Williams, and Laurie and Richard Wack.
The League of Women Voters of Orange County, Florida, is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.