By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Bronson’s municipal election is coming up on April 4 and Town Manager Susan Beaudet says she is doing her best to make sure state law is followed in the voting process.

            After the 2021 election, Spotlight reviewed signatures of every absentee and machine voter and found many didn’t match what was on record with the city, and other signatures were written so sloppy it was impossible to make out the name. Yet those ballots were counted.      

            Five candidates are competing for two seats on the town council. Julie Stalnaker, Jordan Jabbar, and Franklin Schuler are competing for Seat 4. Mark Kjeseth and Virginia Phillips are running for Seat 2.

            The town is sponsoring a Candidates Forum at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 30 at the Levy County Government Center to ask the candidates questions. The forum is in the auditorium of the government center on School Street behind the Levy County Courthouse.

            This year, Beaudet said every member of her canvassing board, Fire Chief Dennis Russell, Town Clerk Wendy Maragh, County Commissioner John Meeks, and Utilities Clerk Alexis Alvis have taken a two-hour course in signature verification. Beaudet has also taken the course.

            Thirty-three mail-in (absentee) ballots had been received as of March 20 and more are expected to arrive at Town Hall as the election approaches. Beaudet is examining the signatures on the exterior of the mail-in (absentee) ballots to confirm they match what is on record for the voter. She has already found one signature that looked questionable.

            “I thought one looked “iffy” and I took it to Tammy to look at,” Beaudet said, referring to Levy County Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones. Apparently, the signature passed muster because it wasn’t rejected.

            When the canvassing board meets, the voter’s signature on the secrecy sleeve inside the mail-ballot envelope will be examined to make sure it matches what is on record at the county elections office. Beaudet said there are instructions on the inside of the mail-in ballot telling voters they must deliver their ballots to Bronson Town Hall if they don’t put them in the mail. The ballots must arrive at Town Hall by 7 p.m. on election night or they can’t be counted. There is no slot at Town Hall or behind Town Hall that can be used for ballots. The ballots must be hand delivered through the front door of Town Hall.

            When someone registers to vote in Levy County, they must give Jones a verifiable 911 address. Jones checks the address with the sheriff’s office 911 office to confirm it is a legal 911 address in Levy County, but she doesn’t visit the address to confirm who is living there. She isn’t required by state law to visit the address to see the voter face-to-face. The state relies on the voter to be truthful. They are swearing the address they listed on their voter registration is their address.

            Jones said there is a misconception that voters must use their driver’s license to identify themselves for in-person voting. She said that isn’t the case. They are required by state law to present a valid photo identification and sign their name when they are voting in person, but the photo identification doesn’t have to be a driver’s license. On the other hand, when someone registers to vote, they don’t need a photo ID. They can give the last four digits of their Social Security number.

            One of the questions that often arise with Bronson elections is whether former Bronson Mayor Beatrice Roberts actually lives in Bronson. She and her husband own a home in Raleigh, but Roberts owns a residence on Pine Street in Bronson. She has a homestead exemption of the Bronson home, receives her mail there, and pays the utility bills and property taxes. But sources say she lives at her Raleigh address with her husband, not the Bronson address.

            Roberts will work as a poll worker at the Bronson voting precinct on April 4 and she will be one of the people checking voter identifications.  Jones said the only thing poll workers can do is ask the voter if the address listed on their voter registration is their address. The system depends on the honesty of the voter to tell the truth.

            “I agree the driver’s license should agree with your voter registration address,” Jones said. “If we ever get better residency requirements it will have to come from the Florida Legislature.”

            Beaudet said she hasn’t been negatively impacted by the consolidation of all but one of the city elections in Levy County to one date in April. Jones asked cities to move their election dates to April 4. All but Fanning Springs agreed to move their election date.

            Beaudet said Jones wasn’t planning to provide any staff to Bronson on the day of the election, but she insisted on getting help. Jones is sending Assistant Elections Supervisor Jordan Lindsey and one of her other employees, Crystal Lara, to assist Beaudet on Election Day.

            “I specifically asked for that. She wasn’t going to have anyone at the polls,” Beaudet said. “Yes, I’ve gone through two days of training, but I don’t do this all the time.”

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Enterprise Reporting by Terry Witt March 22, 2023; Posted March 22, 2023