May 14th

City of Clermont Special Election
City Council Seat 2
Qualified Candidates:

Tod Howard
Otis Taylor Jr.

 


Voter Confidence Excellent Service Accurate and Efficient Elections Responsible Financial Stewardship
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A Message from Alan Hays

Lake County's Supervisor of Elections

In today’s world of 24-hour news cycles, social media, and the ever-present rumor mill, many false statements are being made about the actions of elections administrators and processes. People who have absolutely NO experience whatsoever in elections administration are making and have made statements that are patently false. Many other statements that are misleading and only partially true have undermined the confidence of the voters unfairly. It is our hope that by reading the following FACTS, you will know the truth about elections administered in Florida.

  1. In 2000, the Florida elections community was the laughingstock of the world. In the 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections, Florida was the model for the nation in successful elections administration.

  2. This status of being the nation’s model occurred only by the diligent work of many Supervisors of Elections (SOE) and their devoted teams. In cooperation with the Legislature and the Secretary of State, the elections professionals of Florida rose to the challenge and excelled.

  3. The Supervisor of Elections and the team of workers are regulated very closely by Florida Statutes and rules promulgated by the Division of Elections in Tallahassee. Most of the work we do is dictated by those statutes and rules.

  4. All votes cast in Florida are on paper ballots. Those ballots are retained for 22 months after each election then shredded.

  5. All counties must use electronic tabulation systems that have been certified by the Bureau of Standards of the Division of Elections in Tallahassee. NONE of the tabulation machines are ever connected to the internet.

  6. The election night transmission of UNOFFICIAL results to the SOE offices does NOT use the internet. That data is transmitted via a system that resembles an interstate highway with no exits and no entry ramps.

  7. The tabulation data is stored on memory sticks that are returned to the SOE office on election night. That data is downloaded the next day and compared to the transmitted data of the previous evening to confirm its accuracy.

  8. Many counties, (Lake is one) have a separate verification system into which every voted ballot is scanned. The totals of this second system are compared with those of the tabulation system. This enables us to audit the entire election instead of the previous practice of auditing only one contest in a few precincts.

  9. There are three well-proven ways to vote in Florida:  Vote-by-Mail (VBM), Early Voting in person, and Election Day in person. Each of those are significantly controlled by Florida Statutes.

  10. The SOE does have some control of the number of days and the hours of Early Voting but everything else is by statute.

  11. Vote-by-Mail ballots are mailed ONLY to those voters who have requested to receive one. EVERY returned ballot MUST be in a separate envelope and the envelope must be signed by the voter whose name is printed on the envelope.

  12. EVERY envelope signature is checked through a combination of technology and trained personnel to validate the signature on the envelope compared to the signature on file in that voter’s record.

  13. If the envelope signature does not match the signature on file, the voter is notified of the issue and informed of the process and the deadline to rectify the problem.

  14. Each person requesting a VBM ballot has an opportunity to enroll in the BallotTrax program that notifies them quickly if there is an issue with their signature. In addition to the signature notification, the same system notifies the voter when the ballot has been mailed, when it has been received by our office, and when the ballot is counted.

  15. The selection of the polling sites for Early Voting and Election Day voting is again, controlled by statute. Each site must meet specific criteria. We are allowed only one Early Voting site that is not owned by a governmental agency.

  16. No voted ballots are ever left in a polling site overnight. Every voted ballot is returned to our office that evening.

  17. Those ballots are under a strict chain of custody record and are always carried by at least two people.

  18. Transparency and accountability are standard operating procedures for our team. In the design of our building, we intentionally placed in the internal walls, more than 144 square feet of windows so people can observe the actions in each room. This is supplemented with video feeds of various ballot processes (ballot opening, duplication, adjudication, and storage).

  19. Our website has offered tours of our building two days each week for the last 5 years.

  20. We have invested significantly more than $100,000 into enhanced cybersecurity measures and all our systems are monitored at all times.

  21. All staff members undergo background checks, are engaged in continual training, and are encouraged to pursue professional development.

Many counties, (Lake is one) have a separate verification system into which every voted ballot is scanned. The totals of this second system are compared with those of the tabulation system. This enables us to audit the entire election instead of the previous practice of auditing only one contest in a few precincts.

These are the FACTS. I and my staff are proud to serve our community as elections professionals. Please feel welcome to contact my office should you have questions or to schedule a facility tour. We want you to have confidence in us and in the elections processes. Thank you for the priviledge of serving as your Supervisor of Elections.

 

Election Night Results

 

             

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  • Lake County Supervisor of Elections Open House
    4/13/2024 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

    Lake County Supervisor of Elections Open House

    Alan Hays, your Lake County Supervisor of Elections (SOE) invites community members to an open house event at the SOE facility located at 1898 E. Burleigh Blvd., Tavares on April 13th from 10am-3pm.

    This behind-the-scenes experience will include a tour of the SOE facility and the opportunity to hear first-hand from our team of Florida Certified Election professionals. Uncover the facts and processes behind elections administration in Lake County.

    Questions may be directed to voteroutreach@lakevotes.gov.

     

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/ Categories: News Release

Lake County Supervisor of Elections Outlines Voting Options for the August 18th Primary Election

Tavares, FL - Lake County Supervisor of Elections, Alan Hays, is encouraging voters to take advantage of the voting options available for the August 18th Primary Election. Voters have three options to choose from when casting their ballot.


BY MAIL: Voters may choose to vote from the safety and comfort of their home by requesting a Vote-by-Mail ballot. Voters wishing to do so must get their request in before 5 pm on Saturday, August 8th. Requests can be made online at:

https://www.lakevotes.com/Voter-Information/Vote-By-Mail/Mail-Ballot-Request or by calling the Elections office at 352.343.9734. For a voted mail ballot to be counted for the Primary Election, it must be RECEIVED (NOT POSTMARKED) in the Elections office before 7 pm on Election Day (August 18, 2020). A convenient drop box is located outside the Elections office for curbside drop off. Voters may also deposit their voted ballot at any Early Voting site during the Early Voting period. Voters are NOT allowed to drop off ballots at their polling place on Election Day. Vote-by-Mail ballots are allowed to be dropped off ONLY AT EARLY VOTING SITES OR AT OUR CENTRAL OFFICE. Please remember to sign the voter’s certificate on the return envelope when returning your voted mail ballot. “We encourage you to provide your email and phone number, so we can reach you if there is a missing or mismatch signature on the return envelope,” Hays commented.
EARLY VOTING: Early Voting is another option for Lake County voters. “During the Early Voting period, voters may choose any one of the 11 Early Voting sites in which to cast their ballot,” Hays shared. Early Voting begins Thursday, August 6th and runs through Saturday, August 15th. Sites are open from 10 am to 6 pm daily during the Early Voting period. Lines are usually shorter during Early Voting and allows more flexibility in voting locations than voting on Election Day.
Lake County Early Voting Locations
Cagan Crossings Community Library, 16729 Cagan Oaks, Clermont, FL 34714
Clermont Arts and Recreation Center, 3700 S. U.S. Highway 27, Clermont, FL 34711*
Cooper Memorial Library, 2525 Oakley Seaver Drive, Clermont, FL 34711
Eustis Service Center, 301 W. Ward Avenue, Eustis, FL 32726
Lady Lake Public Library, 225 W. Guava St, 2nd Floor, Lady Lake, FL 32159
County Administration Building, 315 W. Main Street, 2nd Floor, Tavares FL 32778
Leesburg Public Library, 100 E. Main St., Leesburg, FL 34748
Minneola City Hall, 800 N. U.S. Highway 27, Minneola, FL 34715
Southside Umatilla Community Center, 17107 Ball Park Road, Umatilla, FL 32784
Supervisor of Elections Office, 1898 E. Burleigh Blvd., Tavares, FL 32778
W.T. Bland Public Library, 1995 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora, FL 32757*
*indicates a new location


Sample ballots were mailed to all voters who have not opted to vote by mail. We encourage voters to mark up their sample ballot and bring it with them to the polls so they can easily transfer their selections to the actual ballot. If voters are already prepared with their selections, it will minimize the amount of time spent in the privacy booth and therefore
improve wait times and help the elections run more smoothly.


ELECTION DAY VOTING: Voters who wish to vote in person on Election Day, must do so at their assigned precinct/polling location. On Election Day polls are open from 7 am to 7 pm. Voters are encouraged to check their precinct/polling location before heading out to vote. Some polling locations may have changed since they last voted. Voters were mailed updated voter information cards if their precinct/polling location changed. “To find your assigned Election Day voting location, click https://www.lakevotes.com/Voter-Information/Find-My-Precinct or call 352.343.9734 and our office will be happy to assist you,” added Hays.
“We would like to encourage everyone to participate in this year’s Primary Election and to please be patient as we navigate the system during these unprecedented times,” commented Hays. Voters should choose the best voting option for them. Rest assured our office will be doing all we can to ensure voter and election worker safety at the polls. Voters can also feel confident that our well-established Vote-by-Mail process will help ensure their ballot is secure.

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