Dent pushes absentee voting

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent hosted a full house June 13, at the Green Building conference room in Twin Lakes Park for the third of five Town Hall meetings scheduled.

Dent used the Town Hall meeting as an opportunity to encourage early and absentee voting, as well as address rumors about new precinct numbers and a reduction in polling locations.

An audience member raised the topic of non U.S. citizens voting, following Gov. Rick Scott’s comments about purging illegal voters the previous day. Dent said the state sent to Sarasota County a list of 14 individuals suspected to be non U.S. citizens. Of the 14, one responded to Dent's letter and was purged, but there is not much the county can do about non-responding parties, Dent said.

“Well, I can’t take someone off (the list of registered voters) just because they don’t respond,” Dent said. “And, more than likely, they’re not here anymore, in Sarasota County.”

The primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 14, and the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Dent said during the forum that there will be 11 constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall, so absentee voting is preferable. Sample ballots, which will be mailed to registered voters this month, can be marked and taken to polling locations on Election Day.

“I’ve got a husband who’s an attorney and daughter who’s an attorney and I consider myself fairly bright,” Dent said. “But, we're going to have to sit down and have a powwow as to what these amendments actually say.”

For more, pick up a copy of the June 21, issue of the Pelican Press.

Contact Alex Mahadevan at [email protected].