The Florida Supervisors of Elections will offer four $1,200 scholarships to college students in 2022, according to Lake County Supervisor of Elections, Alan Hays.

Applicants must be registered Florida voters and live in the state for at least the preceding two years. Applicants must be either a Political Science, Public Administration, Business Administration or Journalism/Mass Communication major and be at least a junior in college. Students must be enrolled or accepted as a full-time student in a senior college or university in Florida and have a least a “C” average or above for the previous year.

The deadline to apply for a scholarship is March 11, 2022. Applications are available online at Lake County Supervisor of Elections > FSE Scholarship > FSE Scholarship Information (lakevotes.gov) or may be picked up from the Lake County Supervisor of Elections office, 1898 E. Burleigh Blvd., in Tavares.

Applications must be submitted to the election’s office of the county in which the applicant is registered to vote. Each county will select one finalist to send to the FSE Scholarship Committee for consideration.

For additional information please visit LakeVotes.gov or call 352-343-9734.

Our Democracy, Our Priority

The Great American Experiment, our cherished democracy, is under threat. Our nation is only as strong as the faith our citizens have that their voice, their vote, has a say in our government. In this hour, public trust in our elections is being systematically undermined, to the detriment of all Americans.

As election professionals, we have sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Our Constitution is built upon the idea that “we the people” choose our government. We put that idea into practice through elections. It is the foundation and core unifying principle of our democracy.

As the official trusted sources of election information and experts in our fields, we continuously strive to debunk false claims, and ensure voters have access to accurate election information. We are dedicated to the cause of election integrity, ensuring that every eligible voter’s ballot is counted accurately and that no fraud takes place. But false claims of fraud do not strengthen our elections. Instead, they degrade confidence in the institutions, and discourage citizen participation in our democracy.

During and after the 2020 Presidential Election, the integrity of our democracy has been challenged by misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation that sows discord and undermines trust in America’s electoral process. Many of us have been threatened by our fellow citizens who have been led astray by these deceptions.

Instead of standing idly by, we ask all candidates and elected officials to tone down the rhetoric and stand up for our democracy. We ask that you work with us to understand the safeguards implemented to ensure elections are conducted fairly, securely, and accurately.

In the Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln proclaimed that the American people must dedicate themselves to ensuring that “Government of the people, by the people, for the people must not perish from the Earth.” It is through elections that government by the people is accomplished. To this end, we call on officials at all levels of government to commit themselves to the goal of fighting falsehoods and strengthening voter trust. We can rise to this challenge. Our democracy depends on it.