- September 7, 2024
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With the Primary Election closing in, Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart sat down with the Observer to talk important issues leading up to the polls opening.
Lenhart discussed topics like the mail-in ballot process, ballot-machine testing and voter turn out in the primary elections. She even gave her opinion on a resolution being considered by the Flagler County Commission that would prohibit tents, chairs and loud speakers on county property all-year round, including during the election season.
Check out Lenhart's responses below.
Q: What do people need to know about mail-in ballots?
There are three ways to vote in Florida. It's never been easier to vote in the state of Florida. You can choose to vote by mail, vote early, or vote on Election Day. If you want to vote by mail, our ballots have already been mailed and we're still getting requests at this time.
In Florida, we've been a “no excuse,” absentee state for over 20 years. [That means] you don't have to have a reason to request a vote-by-mail ballot. You don't have to be out of county, you don't have to have any kind of medical reason, or any other excuse. It affords a lot of convenience for people who work or who travel, who have do have medical conditions or maybe just can't stand in line, who have transportation issues, all those things. Voting by mail is very convenient. It's also a very secure process.
Q: How are the mail-in ballots verified?
We do verify all the signatures on a vote by mail ballot individually, one by one, each envelope. Our staff does that. We've taken signature verification training, all of us here in the office, to identify any fraudulent signatures, any forgery, and just to ensure that the signature on that envelope … matches the voter registration file. Anytime that you've changed your address updated, your party even signed the signature pad voting in person we use those signatures on file to verify how to verify the signature on the return envelope.
Q: How long does it take you to count all of the mail in ballots once you start receiving them?
We start early. We just tested our equipment. That was our logic and accuracy test of the voting system. It was a public meeting, we had an observer here and of course, the canvassing board does that.
After the test is completed, we can start to count the vote by mail ballots. In Florida, we begin as early as possible.
In [the 2020 presidential election] … many states could not begin the vote by mail opening and tabulation until after election day and that's why you saw all the chaos that was 2020. Our [Flagler County’s] results were available election night, that was the majority of those [ballots] cast.
There are valid results that will be updated after the election because we have provisional ballots and we have those that come in from overseas they have an extended deadline of 10 days for our uniformed service members. Also, citizens overseas have an extension and then anyone whose ballot was rejected due to signature, they have an extension to update that signature so that their ballot can be counted. So there are valid actual votes that can be added to the totals after election day.
But those results typically are not enough to change the results unless there was a very close race.
Q: What kind of machines do you use and what all does testing that entail?
Our testing begins months before an election. Every single piece of equipment that we use in an election, whether it's the check-in equipment, the ballot tabulation machines …we test every one of those, all of our high-speed scanners that we use for vote by mail, and the cumulative results tabulations server. That's not connected to the internet and it's totally separate from the rest of our systems in house.
Basically, we have a test set of ballots that are pre-marked, and we know what the results should be because we created the test deck. So that test deck is run on all those different equipment types. And then at the end, we test the upload to make sure that the cumulative results from the server match the individual ballots to make sure that they're counting properly.
Q: Florida has a state law that prohibits solicitation within 150 feet of a voting precinct. What are the people who come out to campaign at precincts allowed to do?
Well, we only have jurisdiction as far as enforcement within that 150-foot, no solicitation area. It's really a safe zone to provide access to the polling place for the voters. It's a protected area of no candidates, no campaigning, no flyers, no handouts. I mean, not even a campaign sign can be in that area.
Outside of the 150 feet, I do not have jurisdiction or authority to enforce any type of policy. And, in fact, that's explicit in the election law. Outside of the 150 feet, that is up to the county to make policies, the cities to make policy, and then private on private property campaigning has to be allowed within what's in the area, because that's also a protected right under the First Amendment.
Q: The Flagler County Commission is considering a resolution that could prohibit the placement of features like tables, tents and the use of loudspeakers on county property, even during election season. What are your thoughts on that resolution?
I do know that changes this close to an early voting cycle will be perceived by candidates and their supporters as suspect. Because if this was an issue in 2022, this resolution should have been proposed in 2023 and not so close to early voting.
Also, my concern is that shade canopies are really necessary: it’s August, in Florida. It's hot. And no chairs, so we're now we have campaign activities and those supporters standing in the sun, direct sun, for eight hours during early voting, and I don't think that's safe.
My position is just to have it fully vetted in reference to election law, whether or not those restrictions can be placed upon a polling site, which I provided those references to the commissioners after I learned about the resolution, after the meeting. And just consider the safety issue, that's my concern. But otherwise, I mean, I really don't have any authority to create policy outside of that 150 feet.
Q: Being in your role for so many years, are there a lot of complaints from residents going into voting about the people who go out to campaign for candidates at precincts?
The main complaint the voters have is that the sidewalk runs adjacent to those tents. And I mean, the supporters and the people campaigning, are within arm's reach of people who are waiting in line. That's been the complaint.
So … in 2018 [for the library on Palm Coast Parkway], I suggested the use of a temporary barrier, or even a more permanent one like landscaping, to create a more natural barrier between where people can set up camp basically, or set up their campaign site, and then create that natural space between the sidewalk and those folks so that they everybody can have space.
Q: The proposed resolution has to balance voter intimidation versus people’s right to Freedom of Speech. How tight is that balance that you think the commissioners have to walk when they're going to be reviewing this resolution?
Does a policy change behavior? That’s the question. It's a very important question that our commissioners, I'm sure, are really struggling with trying to answer.
I don't really have an answer. It is really tough, because, you know, my suggestion was the natural barrier to create space. I think that space is going to be really helpful because you know, voters have their space and campaign activities have their space. That's really the best suggestion that I can come up with.
Q: Primary elections statistically have less of a turnout the general election in November does. How do Florida voter turnout rates compare? What is Flagler’s voter turnout rate?
Other counties do have a higher primary turnout, like Collier County blows it out of the park, they usually have 45-50% turnout. I just think that the voters there maybe are more engaged in their local issues.
Raising that awareness is something I've really focused on over the past several years. our primary election turnout has increased, but it's not at the level that it needs to be. 30% is shameful. We broke 31% in the last primary, and I was so excited. But really, it's still shameful.
I think 50% would be a goal. A higher turnout even more than that would be better, of course, because we're talking about the representation of our county, and people should be more engaged to select those representatives.
Q: You said you've been working to try to really increase the voter turnout and get people to care about the smaller, local elections?
A lot of that is just making sure people are aware that these races are decided. So there is some emphasis on the importance of a primary because if your candidate doesn't make it through the primary, they won't be on the general election ballot. Also the races that are decided in the primary, of course, if you don't vote in the primary, you don't have a say.
Q: What would you say to encourage Flagler County voters to turn out for the primary election in August?
This election is historic. This primary will change our local government, ground up. The city of Palm Coast, our school board, our commission, the majority of these races will be decided in the primary. That's why this is so important.
…For those, you know, who aren't as engaged, I tell people to look at the Elections Office website and you can go to the candidates’ section which is highlighted in our homepage and go through each single name and try to learn about them. Also, another resource that's probably pretty obvious for a lot of people is just to Google or do a web search for the candidate’s name.
The issue is that it takes work on the part of the voter, you have to do your research. You have to educate yourself. That takes time. A lot of folks don't have a lot of time…I think that's why probably we don't have such a great turnout maybe is because you know, finding out about these candidates takes a lot of work.
How do you encourage people to do that? By telling them this is it, the primary election is it for a lot of our races on the ballot. So become engaged, figure it out, find your candidates, research them, and please vote.
