Guest commentary: Stay informed as 2024 election cycle nears
Lee Elections hosted the 2023 Florida Supervisors of Elections Summer Conference in May at the beautiful Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort. It was remarkable that the conference was held in Lee County only seven months after Hurricane Ian devastated our county.
The resort made an exceptional recovery effort to ensure our election colleagues would enjoy their stay in one of the most beautiful landscapes Lee County offers.
Conferences are essential for Florida’s election administrators to come together, share best practices and receive guidance from the Division of Elections about how the new election laws will affect us moving forward.
While there were many educational opportunities during the conference, networking with fellow election administrators was among one of the best benefits. Meeting and sharing with staff members from other counties with similar positions and responsibilities gives us a fresh perspective on our jobs. It builds relationships that help us during the many stresses of conducting elections.
As we near the 2024 election cycle, it is vital that our office remains your trusted source for election information. As official election administrators, you can be sure that we will provide you with credible and accurate information. We must remain vigilant in this new era of advancing technology and artificial intelligence. Bad actors can use this technology to fabricate false new stories, images, audio bites and videos to erode confidence in the successful administration of elections in Lee County and the United States.
Florida set the gold standard for conducting elections in the 2020 and 2022 elections. We aim to continue this standard and provide our voters with a safe and secure environment to cast their votes and protect the accuracy and integrity of elections in Lee County, while remaining open and transparent through every aspect of the elections process.
My staff and I are always available to answer questions. Stay informed about election happenings via our newsletters, social media and website.
Tommy Doyle is the Lee County Supervisor of Elections. For more information, visit https://www.lee.vote/ or call 239-533-8683.