SECTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND REGULATORY PRACTICE
AND
THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ELECTION LAW Election Law Program
Friday, May 2, 2003 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., The Ritz Carlton, San Juan Hotel & Casino
This material was produced in connection with ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice continuing legal education programs. It represents the statements and views of the author and does not necessarily represent the official policies or positions of the American Bar Association or the ABA Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice. The American Bar Association and the Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice do not accept responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this paper, nor for any interpretation or application by the reader of the information contained in this paper. This paper is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as constituting, the opinion of, or legal or tax advice with regard to specific case or transaction by the author, the Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Section or the American Bar Association.
Roman Buhler, an attorney and independent consultant specializing in election law matters, served as Senior Counsel to the Committee on House Administration from 1989 to 2003 for Chairmen Bob Ney and Bill Thomas. Most recently he helped negotiate and draft the Help America Vote Act. His responsibilities at the Committee also included campaign finance regulation, Federal Election Commission oversight, contested elections, and other election law issues. Prior to service with the Committee, Mr. Buhler was an attorney and political consultant in CA. He graduated from Stanford University and the University of Southern CA Law School. David E. Cardwell is experienced in local government and administrative law. His primary area of practice is public law with an emphasis on local government, infrastructure, public facilities, sports facilities, redevelopment and election law. Mr.Cardwell is recognized by The Florida Bar as a Board Certified City, County, and Local Government Law Lawyer. He is recognized in the area of redevelopment and tax increment financing in Florida and has been involved in many real estate redevelopment projects, including planning, development agreements and financing. He has also been actively involved in the development of public facilities and sports facilities such as stadiums and arenas, including facility development, lease negotiations with sports teams and financing. Mr. Cardwell has spoken at several seminars, conferences, and institutes throughout this state, the country, as welt as overseas on development regulation, development agreements, government administrative procedure, land use policies and their effect of the effect of their implementation, and redevelopment. He has recently been a speaker at several national seminars on representing the public sector in sports facilities negotiations and the privatization of infrastructure development and operation. He was the faculty chairman for a seminar on development agreements offered by the Urban Land Institute. He has also drafted several local ordinances, policies, regulations, and other instruments pertaining to development, including sign regulation, historic preservation, redevelopment, and the financing of public improvements. Mr. Cardwell has served on various local boards and commissions concerned with development as welt as providing legal services. He served as a member of a study commission appointed by the Governor and Cabinet of the State of Florida to review state land purchasing policies and procedures. Mr. Cardwell served as City Attorney for Lakeland, Florida, where he was responsible for drafting land development codes and ordinances, including implementation of the city's Comprehensive Plan and Redevelopment Plan. He also represented the city's Utilities Department in environmental, regulatory, and financing matters regarding its electric and water systems. Before becoming City Attorney, Mr. Cardwell was a staff director of the Florida House of Representatives and served as state elections director and legal counsel to the Department of State, where he participated in the initial administration of several new laws including the Administrative Procedure Act, the Election Code, and the General Corporation Act. Prior to joining state government, he was a litigation attorney with a law firm in Orlando. Mr. Cardwell has written on the subjects of ethics and elections law, redevelopment and sports facilities development and lease negotiations. His book, Ethics and Elections: The Law in Florida was published by The Harrison Co., and he co-authored an article with Harold Bucholtz entitled "Tax Increment Financing in Florida," which appeared in the Stetson Law Review. During the 2002 Presidential Election, Mr. Cardwell served as an election law analyst on CNN. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Florida Coastal School of Law where he has taught a course on Election Law. Mr. Cardwell has served for many years as General Counsel to the Florida Redevelopment Association, whose members include community redevelopment agencies, cities, counties and persons involved in community redevelopment. He also served as that Association's first Executive Director.
He also is a founder and the executive director and general counsel of the Florida Grapefruit League Association, which consists of the Major League Baseball spring training venues and teams that conduct spring training in Florida.
Richard Davis serves as the President for the Reform Institute a nonprofit educational organization that works towards campaign finance and election reform located in Alexandria, Virginia. Mr. Davis, Managing Partner of Davis Manafort, is a recognized leader in international and national political affairs. He has over 20 years of experience in both foreign and domestic political and public affairs. Most recently, Mr. Davis served Senator John S. McCain as his 2000 presidential campaign’s National Campaign Manager. Mr. Davis is a recent Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In addition to managing Senator McCain’s Presidential Campaign, Mr. Davis’ involvement in politics includes serving as Consultant to the Bloomberg for Mayor campaign in New York City in 2001, Deputy Convention Manager for the 1996 National Republican Convention and Deputy Campaign Manager for the 1996 Presidential Campaign of Senator Bob Dole. He started his political activity in 1979 as a staff member of the Republican National Committee; in 1980, as Regional Director of the Commitment ’80, Reagan/Bush Campaign; in 1982, as Campaign Manager for Paul Trible’s successful Senate campaign; in 1984, as the National Convention Director for the Reagan/Bush Re-Election Campaign and, the 1988 Presidential Debate Coordinator for the Bush/Quayle 1988 Presidential Campaign. He recently served as an advisor to Michael Bloomberg’s 2001 Mayoral race in New York City. Mr. Davis served on President Reagan’s staff from 1985 until March 1987 as a Principal Associate Director in the Office of Cabinet Affairs and Special Assistant to the President. As the Associate Director, his responsibilities included the coordination and development of US domestic policy in the White House. In addition to political campaigns in the United States, Mr. Davis has extensive experience as an international political consultant in Asia and Latin America. Mr. Davis is president of the Homeownership Alliance, a board member of George Washington University, Graduate School of Political Management and the United Leaders Foundation. He also serves on the CFI Presidential Task Force, and is active in other public interest activities. Richard Davis is married to Dr. Karen Davis and has two children, Lauren and Cole. A resident of Virginia, Mr. Davis holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama in Operations Research.
Brian Lewis is Floor Counsel for the Senate Majority Whip, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Brian previously served as Republican Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration during Sen. McConnell's Chairmanship and while he was Ranking Member. During his time working for the Rules Committee, Brian was Sen. McConnell's lead negotiator on election reform from his first bill, McConnell-Torricelli, thru final passage of his fourth bipartisan compromise, the Help America Vote Act. Brian served as Deputy General Counsel to the National Republican Senatorial Committee during Sen. McConnell's Chairmanship in the 1998 and 2000 election cycles and was Assistant Legal Counsel to the 1996 Republican National Convention.
Cameron P. Quinn was Secretary of the Virginia State Board of Elections from 1999-2003, Ms. Quinn worked with State Board staff and local registrars and electoral boards in 134 localities to ensure that elections in Virginia were carried out in the most efficient, effective and economical manner possible, while maintaining the integrity of Virginia elections. The agency also was responsible for voter registration and campaign finance. Ms. Quinn supervised a staff of 27 with an annual budget of approximately $10 million. Prior to her term at the State Board of Elections, Ms. Quinn had spent several years serving the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia, including two stints as an Assistant Attorney General, Assistant Dean at George Mason University School of Law, and two General Assembly sessions as a Legislative Aide. Prior to her state service, Ms. Quinn had spent time in private practice with Winston & Strawn, and had served as Counsel to the Chairman of the US Merit Systems Protection Board. Before law school, Ms. Quinn served in positions in federal government and in political campaigns. In addition to her law degree, Ms. Quinn earned a masters degree in accounting from the University of Virginia in 1986. Ms. Quinn earned her B.S.B.A. at the University of Florida. Ms. Quinn has been active as a volunteer in local civic and community activities & in local, state and national politics.
This summary is based on informal notes of the meeting prepared by the Collins Center for Public Policy, Inc., and not on an official transcript. It is not intended to be an official record. It has not been reviewed or approved by any member of the committee. It is published without such review in the interests of informing the public about the work of the committee as quickly as possible. It should not be used or quoted as evidence of official actions by the committee. A complete transcript should be available online within one week.
SUMMARY OF A MEETING OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (HAVA) April 25, 2003 – Tallahassee, Florida Florida’s State Planning Committee for compliance with requirements of the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) held its first meeting on Friday, April 25, 2003, at the Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida, from 9:00 am until approximately 12:30 pm. Proper public notice had been published for the meeting. Members of the public attended. Sign language interpreters, closed caption presentation and other appropriate accommodations for participants with disabilities were available. All members of the Committee were present except for two members of the State Legislature who were attending formal legislative sessions. Attending were Chair Jim Smith and Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Kurt Browning, Mayor Joe Celestin of the City of North Miami, Mr. David Evans of the Florida Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, Supervisor of Elections for Citrus County Susan Gill, President of the Florida League of Women Voters Jane Gross, Arthur Hernandez, Esq., Supervisor of Elections for Gadsden County Shirley Green Knight, Jim Kracht of the American Association of People with Disabilities of Miami, Richard LaBelle, Esq., Supervisor of Elections for Miami-Dade County David Leahy, Dean of FAMU Law School Percy Luney, Director of Human Relations for the City of Orlando Reggie McGill, Supervisor of Elections for Broward County Miriam Oliphant, Ms. Isis Segarra, President of the Florida Association of City Clerks Lori Stelzer, and Regional Director of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Raiza Tamayo. Absent were State Senator Anne Cowin and State Representative Lindsay Harrington. Chair Smith called the meeting to order, recognized a quorum, and named Kurt Browning, Supervisor of Elections for Pasco County, as Vice-Chair to conduct business in the absence of the Chair. On behalf of Secretary of State Glenda Hood, Division of Elections Director Ed Kast welcomed the Committee. Chair Smith introduced staff of the Collins Center for Public Policy, Inc., consultants to the Committee, and staff of the Division of Elections. Members then proceeded with the agenda for the day that had previously been published. 1. HAVA Overview. Dr. Mark Pritchett, Executive Vice President of the Collins Center, outlined the major provisions of the Federal HAVA legislation, focusing on HAVA’s requirements for 13 major elements to be included in Florida’s State Elections Plan. He noted that each of the 13 requirements was scheduled for review, 1
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discussion and action at one of the Committee’s four planned meetings (April 25 in Tallahassee, May 6 in West Palm Beach, May 12 in Ft. Myers, and May 15 in Orlando), with requirements 1-Voting Systems, 4, 5, 7, 12 and 13 scheduled for today’s meeting. He and the Chair requested Committee members to postpone review, discussion and action of other requirements until their scheduled times. The Chair noted that actions by the Committee on these 13 requirements were advisory to the Secretary of State (as chief elections officer) and that final approval by the Governor of the State Plan was required before the State Plan could be presented to the federal Election Assistance Commission. Dr. Pritchett noted that the Committee must complete its work by May 16 and provide a final draft plan to the Secretary of State by May 30. The plan then will be published for thirty days during June. Based on public comment, a final plan then will be prepared and submitted by the Governor to the federal Election Assistance Commission by mid-July. The plan then will be published in the Federal Register for 45 days. The entire process must be completed before the end of the federal fiscal year on September 30, 2003. HAVA State Plan Procedures and Requirement #13 (State Plan Committee; Public Notice and Comment). Roderick N. Petrey, President of the Collins Center, outlined procedures for the Committee’s work that will conform that work to HAVA’s requirements. Mr. Petrey then outlined the requirements of HAVA Sections 254(a)(13) and 255(a) that call for the State’s chief elections official to develop the State plan through a committee of appropriate individuals and call for specific public notice and comment provisions. He noted that all current requirements for membership had been met and that future requirements for public notice and comment, after the Committee had prepared a draft State Plan, would be met by the Division of Elections. The Committee adopted the report. HAVA Requirement #5 (State Trust Fund). Ms. Tracey Lowe of the Collins Center outlined plans for meeting the requirements of HAVA Sections 254(b) and 254(5) for a state trust fund to receive Federal and State funds to administer the State’s Election Plan. This fund will be used exclusively for activities authorized by HAVA and cannot be converted to other uses without violating Federal law. Interest earned on balances in the trust fund will be returned to and become part of the fund. Members of the Committee were especially concerned that legislative leaders understand the strict Federal limitations on uses of the trust fund, that interest earnings are returned to the fund, and that administrative expenses not deplete the amounts available in the fund to achieve HAVA’s goals. They noted that the Governor and Secretary of State (as chief state elections officer) were responsible under HAVA for ensuring compliance with these requirements and asked that they meet with legislative leaders to stress the inviolate nature of the HAVA trust funds. The Committee adopted the report with the provision that the Collins Center strengthen language to address these concerns. HAVA Requirement #12 (Changes to State Plan). Dr. Pritchett of the Collins Center discussed HAVA’s Section 254(a) (12) requirements for clear presentation by the State of any revisions to the State Plan from year to year. Members of the Committee asked if the Committee, or a similar body, would be required to review such changes in the future. Dr. Pritchett noted that under HAVA Sections 253 and 255 an advisory group would be required to review changes during the three federal fiscal years covered by HAVA but that the exact structure of that group was not clear. The Committee adopted the report for Requirement #12 with the provision that the mechanism and process for review and approval of future changes be clarified. 2
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HAVA Requirement #7 (Maintenance of Effort). Ms. Lowe of the Collins Center and Ms. Sarah Jane Bradshaw of the Division of Elections discussed HAVA’s Section 254(7) requirements that the State maintain its expenditures for HAVA activities at a level not less than the dollar amount used by the State for the fiscal year ending prior to November 2000. Ms. Bradshaw noted that Florida’s FY 1999-2000 budget (ending June 30, 2000) totaled $3,082,224 and that this figure (covering salaries and benefits, operating capital outlay and voter fraud programs for the Division of Elections Director’s office and the portion of the Bureau of Election Records expenditures pertaining to election administration) would be used as the base figure for determining maintenance of effort. Ms. Bradshaw and Dr. Pritchett clarified that “maintenance of effort” expenditures did not include expenditures made local governments, including Florida’s 67 counties and their Elections Supervisors. The Chair and other members of the Committee suggested that future “maintenance of effort” expenditures be described as “at least equal to” the base figure for FY 19992000 or “at levels necessary to maintain full compliance with HAVA” or similar strengthened language. The Committee adopted the report for Requirement #7 with the provision that language regarding “maintenance of effort” be so strengthened. HAVA Requirement #1 (Voting Systems). With the assistance of Paul Craft of the Division of Elections, Dr. Pritchett of the Collins Center reviewed the extensive requirements of HAVA Title III and Section 251(a) (2) regarding voting systems, standards and requirements for voting systems and other voting procedures. During this review, members of the Committee noted that the Diebold voting systems that are certified for use in Florida did not adequately ensure privacy, confidentiality and independence of voters with disabilities. The Committee suggested that this be noted in the plan. In addition, the Committee noted that language used to describe the State’s compliance with HAVA voting systems requirements include references to local practices and not only to statutes and standards. With that instruction regarding actual practice in mind, Dr. Pritchett noted that the State’s statutes, standards and regulations complied with most HAVA requirements as noted: 6. Under HAVA Section 301(a) (1) (A) (I), Florida’s statutes and standards permit the voter to verify in a private and independent manner the votes selected by the voter before the ballot is cast and counted. Under HAVA Section 301(a) (1) (A) (ii), Florida’s statutes and standards provide the voter with the opportunity in a private and independent manner to change the ballot or correct any error before the ballot is cast and counted (including the opportunity to correct the error through the issuance of a replacement ballot if the voter was otherwise unable to change the ballot or correct the error). Under HAVA Section 301(a)(1)(A)(iii), Florida’s statutes and standards provide that if the a voter selects more than one candidate for a single office, the following actions will be taken: (1) notify the voter that the voter has selected more than one candidate for a single office on the ballot; (2) notify the voter before the ballot is cast and counted of the effect of casting multiple votes for the office; and (3) provide the voter with the opportunity to correct the ballot before the ballot is cast. Under HAVA Section 301(a)(1)(B) and based on pending actions by the Florida Legislature in HB 1861, Florida’s statutes and standards will provide by January 1, 2006, that, for mail-in absentee and mail-in ballots, 3
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Florida will (1) establish a voter education program specific to each voting system that notifies each voter of the effect of casting multiple ballots for an office, and (2) provide the voter with instructions on how to correct a ballot before it is cast and counted (including instructions on how to correct an error through the issuance of a replacement ballot if the voter was otherwise unable to change the ballot or correct the error). Under HAVA Section 301(a)(1)(C), Florida’s statutes and standards require that mail-in absentee ballots and mail-in ballots preserve the privacy of the voter and the confidentiality of the ballot. Under HAVA Sections 301(a)(2)(A), (B) and (C), Florida’s statutes and standards require that voting systems produce a record for audits, a permanent paper record with a manual audit capacity, and a paper record that is available as an official record for any recount conducted with respect to any election in which the system is used. Under HAVA Sections 301(a)(3)(A) and (B), Florida’s statutes and standards only partially meet requirements for certified voting systems for individuals with disabilities, including non-visual accessibility for the blind and visually impaired, in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation (including privacy and independence) as for other voters, and requirements for at least one direct recording electronic voting system or other voting system equipped for individuals for disabilities at each polling place. Sixteen Florida counties now meet these requirements. The Committee recommended that the State of Florida ensure the remaining 51 counties are compliant by January 1, 2006. Under HAVA Section 301(a)(3)(C), Florida’s statutes and standards require that voting systems purchased with funds available under HAVA on or after January 1, 2007, meet the voting systems standards for disability access as outlined in HAVA. Under HAVA Section 301(a) (4), Florida’s statutes and standards require that Florida have certified voting systems that provide alternative language accessibility pursuant to Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Sixteen Florida counties now meet these requirements. The Committee recommended that the State of Florida ensue that the remaining 51 counties are compliant by January 1, 2006. Under HAVA Section 301(a)(5), Florida’s statutes and standards require that Florida’s certified voting systems comply with the error rate standards established under Section 3.2.1 of the voting systems standards issued by the Federal Elections Commission. Under HAVA Section 301(a)(6), Florida’s statutes and standards include uniform and nondiscriminatory standards that define what constitutes a vote and what will be counted as a vote for each category of voting systems used in the State.
The Committee adopted the report with the suggestion that gaps between local practices and the statewide requirements of statutes and standards, especially in matters involving voters with disabilities, are addressed in the plan.
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HAVA Requirement #4 (Voting System Guidelines and Process). Dr. Pritchett of the Collins Center reviewed requirements of HAVA Section 254(a) (4) regarding voting system requirements and process. Florida’s process involves the adoption of statewide standards and local implementation. This will be reviewed more completely at the Committee’s next meeting.
The Committee, having concluded its business for the day, opened the floor for public comment. In addition to a maximum of three minutes of oral presentation, the Committee noted that it would receive written comments and information as well. Three individuals made oral presentations: (1) Ion Sancho, Supervisor of Elections for Leon County, observed that the Committee should present an overview of elections reform since 2000, including prior non-partisan task forces and the more recent HAVA compliance activities, and that counties in Florida needed financial assistance because of the substantial impact they were experiencing from these changes; (2) Deborah Clark, Supervisor of Elections for Pinellas County, observed that administrative rules, and not just legislative action, could accomplish some changes (such as absentee ballot instructions), that counting of absentee ballots is a very open and public process, that everyone should continue to question security measures for voting equipment to ensure privacy and accuracy, and that voters needed and received reminders or controls, such as ballot activation cards for some voting equipment, to ensure that votes actually were cast; and (3) Larry Spalding, Legislative Counsel for the ACLU, observed that 42 states, not including Florida, automatically restored voting rights to felons who had completed their sentences and that the lack of such automatic restoration in Florida resulted in great variations from county to county in how felons who had moved from other states were classified. Several members of the public also requested that the Committee use an audio speaker system for its next meetings. The Committee adjourned its meeting at approximately 12:30 pm and will convene again from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, May 6, 2003, at the office of the Supervisor of Elections for Palm Beach County, 240 South Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida.
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Florida Department of State Glenda E. Hood Secretary of State
MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release April 18, 2003 Contact: Christina Johnson (850) 339-5773
ccjohnson@mail.dos.state.fl.us
SECRETARY GLENDA HOOD ANNOUNCES THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (HAVA) PLANNING COMMITTEE TALLAHASSEE, FL – Secretary of State Glenda Hood is pleased to announce the members of the Florida Help America Vote Act Planning Committee. The Planning Committee, mandated by the Federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, is tasked with creating a plan that establishes how Florida will use the federal funding to replace punch card voting systems, improve voter education, train poll workers and to carry out other activities to improve in the administration of elections. “Florida set a model for the rest of the nation when it passed the Election Reform Act of 2001 and the Voter Accessibility Act of 2002,” said Secretary Hood. “In 2003 we will continue our commitment to improve Florida’s elections process so that all registered voters in Florida are able to cast their votes with confidence. This is my top priority as Florida’s Chief Election’s Officer.”
The HAVA Planning Committee is made up of 18 individuals statewide, each representing a unique perspective in Florida’s voting population. The legislation states that “the Chief State election official shall develop the State plan under this subtitle through a committee of appropriate individuals, including the chief election officials of the 2 most populous jurisdictions in the State, other local election officials, stakeholders (including representatives of groups of individuals with disabilities), and other citizens, appointed for such purpose by the chief State election official.”
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Four statewide HAVA planning committee meetings will be hosted in order to seek input from interested constituency groups and citizens. Transcripts of the meetings and the final report will be made available in English, Spanish and Creole via the Department of State’s website. The statewide meetings are as follows:
Friday, April 25, 2003 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Betty Easley Conference Center 4075 Esplanade Way, Room 166 Tallahassee Monday, May 12, 2003 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Supervisor of Elections Training Facility 3040 Fowler Street Ft. Myers
Tuesday, May 6, 2003 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Office of the Supervisor of Elections 240 South Military Trail West Palm Beach Thursday, May 15, 2003 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Office of the Supervisor of Elections 119 West Kaley Street Orlando
For more information on planning committee meeting agendas, please contact: Dr. Mark Pritchett Executive Vice President Collins Center for Public Policy, Inc. 1415 East Piedmont Drive, Suite One Tallahassee, FL 32308 (850) 219-0082 x105 www.collinscenter.org Additional information on HAVA, including the bill in its entirety may be found at www.fec.gov/hava. The Florida HAVA Planning Committee members are as follows: Jim Smith – Smith will serve as Chairman of the Florida Help America Vote Act Planning Committee. He has served as Florida's Secretary of State four times – twice appointed and twice elected. Smith served as Co-Chairman of Governor Bush's Election Reform Task Force following Florida’s 2000 Presidential Election. He is a partner of Smith, Ballard and Logan, P.A. Kurt Browning - Supervisor of Elections in Pasco County, elected in 1980 and the youngest ever to hold that position in Florida. Browning served on Governor Bush's Task Force on Election Procedures, Standards and Technology in 2001, and is the current Legislative Chairman of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections. Joe Celestin – Mayor, City of North Miami. Celestin is a native of Haiti and is the first AfricanAmerican to be elected to that position and the first ever Haitian American Mayor in the United
States. Celestin is a member of the Florida League of Cities and is founder of the Haitian– American Political Action Committee. (more) Anna Cowin – State Senator from District 20, elected in 1996. Chair of the Committee on Ethics and Elections and serves on eight additional committees, including Senate Education and Governmental Oversight and Productivity. Dave Evans - State Board Member of the National Federation of the Blind. He is also a former aerospace professional. Susan Gill - Supervisor of Elections in Citrus County, elected in 1996. Gill has served on the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections Legislative Committee, Get Out The Vote Foundation, Chairman of the Scholarship Committee and Co-Chair of the Education & Training committee. Gill is also a member of the Election Center. Jane Gross – President of the Florida League of Women Voters and a member of the Broward League since 1986. Gross serves on the Broward County Elections Reform committee that was formed after the 2002 primary election. Lindsay Harrington – State Representative from District 72, elected in 1996. Serves as Speaker Pro Tempore, Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections. Harrington also served on Governor Bush’s 2002 Select Task Force on Election Reform. Arthur Hernandez – Vice Chairman of the Jacksonville Mayor’s Hispanic American Advisory Board. He is Principle and CEO of Arthur Hernandez, Esq. and serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Jacksonville Defense Bar Association and is a member of the Florida Bar. Shirley Green Knight - Supervisor of Elections in Gadsden County, elected in 2000. Knight is the first female and the first African American to be elected to the office of Supervisor of Elections in Gadsden County. She has served on the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections Board of Directors 2001-2002 and its New Supervisor of Elections Caucus and Small County Caucus. Jim Kracht – Assistant County Attorney for Miami-Dade County. Kracht served on Governor Bush’s Select Task Force on Voting Accessibility 2000-2001 and has been a legal advisor since 1978 to the Miami-Dade County Commission on Disability Issues. He is a member of the American Blind Lawyers Association, American Council of the Blind, and the Florida Council of the Blind. Richard LaBelle - Secretary of the Florida Coalition on Disability Rights, a statewide coalition of disability advocacy, service groups and persons with disabilities. He is principle of The Law Offices of Richard LaBelle, P.A., concentrated in the areas of disability law and elder law. His firm administers the First Florida Pooled Trust, a special needs trust created under Federal law for persons with disabilities. David Leahy - Supervisor of Elections in Miami-Dade County, appointed in 1981. Mr. Leahy served on the Federal Election Commission's Absentee Voting Project Advisory Board, various state committees and is a past president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of
Elections. Leahy is automatically appointed to the committee as federal law dictates the Supervisor of Elections from the two most populous jurisdictions serve on this committee. (more)
Percy Luney - Dean and Professor of Law at Florida A & M University and most recently President of the National Judicial College, the oldest state judicial education and training institution in the United States. Previously, Luney was Dean and Professor of Law at North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1980 and Duke University School of Law in 1984. Reggie McGill – Human Relations Director for the City of Orlando. McGill’s community service includes having served on the Board of Directors for the Florida Association of Community Relations Professionals, Inc. and membership to 100 Black Men of Orlando, Inc. Miriam Oliphant - Supervisor of Elections in Broward County, elected in 2000. Oliphant previously was appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to the Broward County School Board in 1991, the second African American to serve on the panel that governs one of the nations' largest public school systems. Oliphant is automatically appointed to the committee as federal law dictates the Supervisor of Elections from the two most populous jurisdictions serve on this committee. Isis Segarra – Born in Cuba, Segarra came to the United States in 1960 and became an American Citizen on June 12, 1970. She has worked throughout her Hillsborough community as a translator and interpreter of the Spanish language. Lori Stelzer – President of the Florida Association of City Clerks. Stelzer has been City Clerk for the City of Venice for ten years and has been an active member of the Florida Association of City Clerks. As City Clerk she serves as the election official for the City of Venice. Raiza Tamayo – Regional Director, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Born in Cuba, Tamayo moved to Florida in 1986. Hispanic Magazine has recognized her company, American Paving Contractors, Inc. every year from 1997 through 2001 as one of the top 100 fastest growing Hispanic businesses in the United States. ###