Quoted This Week
“These definitions are so broad that they will silence the ability of student groups across the political, social and religious spectrum from being able to speak out and fully engage in public life and engage in our democracy. That's why we’re speaking out and we’re calling on the BoG to reject these unconstitutional rules."
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— Carlos Guillermo Smith, senior policy director, for Equality Florida, on the Florida Board of Governors' Rule 9.016, which prohibits political and social activism on college and university campuses.
Municipal Elections
Qualifying Periods
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Thinking about running for local office? Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland and Windermere all have seats up for grabs on their commissions. Here’s when you’ll need to qualify by:
Winter Garden: Through Noon, Nov. 14.
Seats open: Districts 2, 3, 4.
For more information, contact City Clerk/Supervisor of Municipal Elections Angela Grimmage, 407-656-4111, ext. 2297
Windermere: Through Noon, Dec. 11.
Seats open: Mayor, two council seats.
Get candidate packet at Town Clerk’s office, 614 Main St. or online.
For more information, call Town Clerk Dorothy Burkhalter, 407-876-2563, ext 6.
Oakland:
Via Petition: 8 a.m. Nov. 16 to 5 p.m. Dec. 1.
Via Fee: 8 a.m. Dec. 4 to 3 p.m. Dec. 7.
Seats open: Mayor, two commission seats.
Visit the town website for more details.
Ocoee: Noon Dec. 1 to Noon Dec. 8.
Seat open: Special election for District 4.
For more information, contact City Clerk Melanie Sibbett at Ocoee.org.
If you vote-by-mail ...
It’s time to request your vote-by-mail ballot from the Supervisor of Elections. All vote-by-mail ballot requests were purged at the end of 2022 to comply with the 2021 election law, SB 90, sponsored by Florida Republicans and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. What that means is even if you requested a ballot to vote in last year’s midterm elections, you still need to request to receive a ballot to vote in the March 2024 municipal elections and primaries and the November 2024 presidential election. Get used to this. SB 90 mandates that voters ask for vote-by-mail ballots for each election cycle. Request your ballot here.
Local Government matters
