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Two years ago, when Karen Castor Dentel ran for Orange County Supervisor of Elections, she made a campaign promise that she would open satellite offices so that voters would not have to schlep downtown to the main elections office on Kaley Street.
Thursday, the first satellite elections office officially opened at the West Oaks Mall in Ocoee. Flanked by local politicians, Elections Supervisor Castor Dentel cut the ceremonial ribbon with the requisite oversized scissors to signify the office is open for business.
“Democracy is not just what happens on election day,” she said in prepared remarks ahead of the ribbon-cutting. “Democracy comes alive when people get access to the information and resources they need to make their voices heard. And that is exactly what this office represents.
“West Orange County has experienced tremendous growth,” she continued. “And as our community grows, we have a responsibility to make sure that we grow with it. This location allows us to bring election services closer to voters who live here and make it easier and more convenient for residents to get the help that they need.”
Located across the hall from the Orange County Tax Collector’s office, the satellite office is bright, airy and welcoming, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and bold orange graphics that exhort: VOTE! And while the office consists solely of a three-person team and a single counter, it is a full-service elections office where voters can register to vote, update their registrations and pick up and securely drop off vote-by-mail ballots. Castor Dentel said staff is able to field questions in Orange County’s main languages: English, Spanish and Creole
“Voting belongs to everyone in the community, and every voter should have a place where they feel welcomed respected and serviced,” Castor Dentel said.
Scott Randolph, the Orange County tax collector, told VoxPopuli that the satellite office was a good addition to the mall and West Orange County. Randolph ceded some storefront space to make room for the elections office.
“We're excited. To have the SOE next to us, I think is great accessibility for voters, with better parking and with better traffic management to get out here, especially during election time," he said. "This'll be great for for West Orange County.”
Castor Dentel said they were already seeing foot traffic. "We’re already seeing people coming in everyday before we even advertised it,” she said, adding that about 45 people have stopped by to make use of the office services since its soft opening 10 days ago — including five on Thursday.
Like Joel Ham who was at the West Oaks Mall with his wife Cheryl, got curious about the crowd gathered outside the elections office storefront and came to see what was happening.
“They said it was for elections, and I wanted to make sure my registration was okay and that my wife is ready,” he told VoxPopuli.
A few minutes later, Ocoee City Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen dropped two vote-by-mail ballots into the secure drop box inside the office.
“I think it’s great to see the county bringing the ability for us to access their services on this side of town because not everyone wants to drive into Orlando,” Wilsen told VoxPopuli. “And with the tag office being here, that’s a blessing. Their services out here are sorely needed and I’m pleased to see it. I hope more will come out.”
" It's a great place to put it, too,” said Ocoee Mayor Rusty Johnson, referring to the mall. “It’s easy to get to, and it saves a lot of people headaches of getting downtown. Every time we add a little more to this place, it helps. Someday it'll get back thriving again.”
Though Castor Dentel said that setting up the satellite office hadn’t been as easy as she thought it would be, now that the doors were open, she was beaming, seeing her campaign promise fulfilled.
“Check. Done. I’m so happy,” she said.
