Aubrey Bocalan & Shannon Ahern // Alligator Staff
ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 SPECIAL EDITION
When, where and how to vote on campus STUDENTS WHO LIVE ON CAMPUS CAN VOTE AT THE REITZ UNION
By Rachel Slay Alligator Staff Writer
As the November election approaches despite the COVID-19 pandemic, UF students both on and off campus have different options for how to cast their vote. UF students who plan to vote in the presidential election this November can do so by mail or in person. If they live on campus, they can vote at the Reitz Union on the ground floor of the Career Connections Center. Early voting opens on Oct. 19 and lasts until Oct. 31. On-campus early voting will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are six early voting polling places in Alachua County, including the Reitz, and the addresses can be found on the Supervisor of Elections’ website. Voters can vote at any of these during the early voting window. Each voter has a precinct, or designated location, to vote on Election Day based on their residential address – and that is the only place he or she can vote. For example, a student who lives at Gainesville Place Apartments cannot vote at the Reitz. To find his or her voting location, he or she needs to go to the Supervisor of Elections website or contact its office. Students who do not live on campus may vote at precincts around Alachua County. Voters can find their precinct location by inputting their address on the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections’ website. Students registered in another county may not vote in Alachua County. If they cannot vote in person in the county they are registered for, they may request a mail-in ballot. Students have until Oct. 24 to request a vote-by-mail ballot from their county. Voter ballots should arrive within two business days of a request. If a ballot does not arrive within a reasonable time, students should contact their lo-
cal Supervisor of Elections office. Alachua County absentee ballots can be returned directly to the county’s office at 515 N. Main St., Suite 300 or by mail, according to the county’s Vote-by-Mail FAQ page. Vote-by-mail ballots cannot be taken to a voting precinct on Nov. 3, Election Day. They should be returned to the county’s office, either by mail or dropped off in person, before Election Day. Along with the 2020 presidential race, six state amend-
ments will appear on the Alachua County ballot. They cover topics like changing two words in Florida’s constitution, requiring voter-approved legislation to be passed twice and raising the minimum wage. According to data from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, 64.2% of UF students participated in the 2016 presidential election. UF saw an increase of 3.5% from the 2012 election. Any additional questions about voting by mail or voter information can be sent to votebymail@alachuacounty.us. @racheljslay rslay@alligator.org
Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff
Linda Spurny takes a selfie with her ballot as she drops it off in front of the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020. She said she took the photo to ensure it is counted.
East Gainesville residents feel drained yet eager to vote early MORALE MAY BE LOW, BUT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LEADERS ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER By Edysmar Diaz-Cruz Alligator Staff Writer
Tyra Edwards feels tired and ready for the election to end. Edwards, 50, plans on driving with her family in a full SUV from her Ironwood residence to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections on North Main Street. She will drop off a vote-by-mail ballot in the metal box adjacent to the building on the first day of early voting. With the general election less than two weeks away, voters are encouraging relatives to fight voter apathy. The added challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed Gainesville residents, and voters throughout the nation, to request vote-by-mail ballots. Edwards did not want to risk losing her vote in transit. Her 31-year-old son and 24-year-old daughter will be casting their votes alongside hers, and she has encouraged her five grandchildren to witness their elders voting. She wanted to set an example for them.
“Every time I run into people and we’re talking, I ask: ‘Will you be voting? When will you be voting?’” she said. Edwards believes morale is low in her community. Marginalized communities with limited resources and opportunities prioritize putting food on the table and paying rent. Usually, they are not thinking about voting, she said. She’s participated in every election for the past ten years and votes Democrat. Healthcare is one of the issues that Edwards is concerned about. She hopes to see Obamacare remain intact after the elections and worries for all the people she knows who rely on it. East Gainesville residents have a promising chance of surpassing voter turnout from the previous elections, said TJ Pyche, director of communications and outreach at the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections. But he won’t know for certain how many more people registered and voted until after the elections are over. For two weekends, Pyche participated in neighborhood walks through precinct 33, which covers from Northeast 16th Avenue to Northeast 39th Avenue. He knocked on doors and took ten steps back before delivering vot-
ing information to East Gainesville residents. “They seem to know and have a plan for how they are going to vote,” he said. “There are societal barriers to voting. By sending out information, by going to people’s neighborhoods, we hope to kind of break through some of that, and encourage people to participate.” He helped residents update voter registrations before the Oct. 6 deadline and requested mail ballots for them. He remembers meeting a lot of first-time voters. “We’re confident that the community is going to turn out and have the necessary tools to do so,” he said. “Folks are excited and I think people are engaged.” Evelyn Foxx, president of NAACP Gainesville Chapter, has no doubt there will be a significant turnout of Black voters in East Gainesville. Fox believes East Gainesville’s faith leaders and activists have done their part by combing the neighborhoods to register and inform first-time voters. The NAACP distributed informational pamphlets explaining each amendment on the ballot. “There will be a complete change with voter turnout. I think people are very upset,” she said.
“And they want their voices to be heard.” The deadline to request a voteby-mail ballot for the 2020 General Election is 5 p.m. on Oct. 24. Armando Grundy-Gomes, 40, feels drained from the nationwide political tension. However, as a U.S. Army veteran, he feels adamant about his right to cast a ballot. “I want to repeal and replace,” Grundy-Gomes said. “If you’re looking for a specific outcome, if you don’t cast your ballot, then there is no outcome. You have to accept the results as whatever they may fall.” Grundy-Gomes will do what it takes to make sure his vote counts. He opted for early-voting and will be submitting his ballot at Alachua County Supervisor of Elections. Grundy-Gomes encouraged his friends and family to join him Monday to drop off their votes as soon as early voting is permitted. He said East Gainesville residents like himself are tired but remain vigilant about taking their concerns to the polls. Doris Edwards, 73, wants candidates who care about her community. The night before going to the Supervisor of Elections office, she filled out her information with
a ball-point pen, signed her name and enclosed her ballot. She prayed over the pink envelope before bed. The following morning, she pulled her hair back into a bun and put on a pair of black jeans. She wanted to dress up for the occasion. “There is just a feeling of accomplishment when you do it,” she said. “There’s a deep bone marrow pride. When you do it, it’s like you own something. And I love doing that. But this year, it’s different.” As the president of the Lincoln Estates Neighborhood, Edwards considers herself a super voter. She encourages fellow residents to vote, and if they need a ride, she’ll get them in touch with volunteers who are willing to take them. She does community outreach from her home while minimizing her potential exposure to COVID-19. Despite having to stay indoors, the act of voting has kept her hopeful. “It changes your whole life when you can get someone in office that thinks about you and the problems that you have rather than sitting back and not voting,” she said. @EdysmarDiazCruz ediaz-cruz@alligator.org
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We Inform. You Decide.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 8
Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Not officially associated with the University of Florida
Meet the Congressional District 3 candidates IF ELECTED, ADAM CHRISTENSEN WOULD BE THE COUNTRY’S YOUNGEST DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSPERSON
By Steven Walker Alligator Staff Writer Monetary contributions: $138,679.96 Total spending: $68,397.13 All information from FEC
Adam Christensen wakes up at 6 a.m. to coach the Oak Hall School boys varsity soccer team before he hits the campaign trail a few hours later. The 27-year-old small business owner and Democratic nominee is the leader of one of the youngest congressional campaigns in the country. He is looking to flip Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, which has stayed Republican since Ted Yoho won the seat in 2012. Christensen is running against the Re-
publican nominee, Kat Cammack, Yoho’s former deputy chief of staff. Running a campaign is much like coaching a team, Christensen said. He thinks in both campaigning and in soccer, it’s the work that nobody (D) Adam Christensen, 27 sees that gives his team the edge to win. “If you do it right, you not only close the gap, but you can shock some people,” he said. Christensen would shock some people if he wins Florida’s 3rd congressional district. The Cook Partisan Voting Index rated the district as an R+9 “solid Republican” district in 2018. Yoho, who is not seeking re-election as of now, won his four elections by an average of 24 percentage points.
SEE CHRISTENSEN, PAGE 6
KAT CAMMACK HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY HER BACKGROUND AND HER VALUES AS A CONSERVATIVE
By Anna Wilder Alligator Staff Writer Monetary contributions: $803,988.26 Total spending: $570,672.63 All information from FEC
Kat Cammack woke up at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday for her interview on “Fox & Friends,” followed by about a dozen Zoom meetings. Her focus throughout the day is on her campaign. Cammack considers herself a “constitutional conservative.” “My job, and my oath and my loyalties are to the United States constitution,” she said.
The 32-year-old is running as the Republican District 3 representative in Congress, replacing Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, who is not seeking re-election as of now. Cammack was a former depu- (R) Kat Cammack, 32 ty chief of staff for the congressman from 2011 to Dec. 2019. Cammack’s campaign policies touch on immigration, protecting life at conception, supporting the second amendment and the military, repealing Obamacare, returning control of education back to the states and more. However, out of these, she said the most prominent issue right now is fiscal spending.
SEE CAMMACK, PAGE 6
Part of the political process: One student’s choice to become a poll worker UF STUDENT DECIDES TO WORK AT THE POLLS TO HELP PREVENT OLDER ADULTS FROM CONTRACTING COVID-19
By Aurora Martinez Alligator Staff Writer
After noticing the overwhelming number of poll workers at risk of having health complications associated with COVID-19 due to their age, Diarmuid Swan decided to give it a try. “It was the pandemic that really led me to consider doing it,” Swan said. Swan, a 24-year-old UF political science junior, is one of about 2,000 people who applied this year to be poll workers in Alachua County for the coming general election Nov. 3. Swan, who first voted in 2016, said he believes people need to do more
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Story description finish withSpanishcomma, El Caimán, The Alligator’s pg# language section, makes its print debut, pg. 14
than just vote in elections to make a difference in the U.S. Alachua County Supervisor of Elections spokesperson TJ Pyche said the number of college-age students interested in being poll workers has considerably increased compared to previous years. Poll workers on Election Day are paid between $150 to $280 based on their positions, including being a clerk, who looks over most tasks; and voting machine operators, who greet voters, check IDs and verify and update voter information. Due to COVID-19, there will be designated poll workers tasked with sanitizing electronic pens and cleaning voting areas throughout the day, Pyche said. Workers receive their payment in the form of a check about four weeks after Election Day, Pyche said. Swan will be paid $180 for operating a voting machine but said
the money was not a factor in his decision. He said he wants to have firsthand knowledge of how elections work and possible flaws that might exist. Poll workers are required to be at their assigned location from 5:45 a.m. until about an hour after 7 p.m., once the location has closed. Swan was assigned at the 25th precinct, Santa Fe College’s Charles L. Blount Center in downtown Gainesville. Pyche said each location will have between seven and 10 workers. Swan said the poll worker application process was easy and completely online. Once approved, he attended a five-hour training session at the SOE building to learn how to operate the voting machines. About 10 other prospective poll workers attended the training session with him and practiced social distancing at all times, he said. On Election Day, every poll
worker is required to remain nonpartisan in their appearance. They are not allowed to wear political attire or speak in any way that suggests their candidate preference, Pyche said. Pyche said all election workers are required to wear masks and all polling locations will allow for social distancing. Voters are encouraged to wear masks. Maskless voters will be offered a face covering but will be allowed to vote if they decline. Swan said he is planning to stay by making sure he doesn’t hold voters’ IDs and constantly cleaning the electronic pens voters use to sign. “It’s really gonna be on our end to protect ourselves and not really on the voters,” Swan said. He said that although people are voting by mail due to COVID-19, he still expects to see long lines and many people voting in person because they do not trust USPS to deliver their ballots.
Endorsements from the Editorial Board
One Mill Ad Valorem Tax would bring millions to public schools, pg. 17
Education funding up for renewal
The Alligator weighs in on local races and amendments ahead of November election, pg. 10
Despite the training he received, he is more worried about making a mistake while using the voting machines than contracting COVID-19. For the primary elections on Aug. 18, Alachua County had a shortage in poll workers. However, for this coming election, the SOE has received about 2,000 applications, and only about 600 have been accepted. The rest are on stand-by, Pyche said. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he estimated about 80% of election workers and applicants were over the age of 60. Now, he said, it is about 50%. “Anecdotally, it used to be once in a blue moon when we would see a young person — somebody perhaps under 25 — apply for one of these positions or apply to be an election worker,” Pyche said. @AuroraCeciliaM amartinez@alligator.org
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4 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
Weather How toToday’s successfully fill out a mail-in-ballot
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 8
NEWSROOM:
A GUIDE TO ENSURING A MAIL-IN BALLOT IS RECEIVED AND COUNTED IN ALACHUA COUNTY
Editor-In-Chief Engagement Managing Editor Digital Managing Editor News Managing Editor
By Alan Halaly Alligator Staff Writer
With rising concerns of contracting COVID-19 from in-person voting, Alachua County voters may find themselves wanting to make their voices heard from home through mail-in ballots. Voting by mail is a popular option for voters this year, as the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections office reports more than 31,000 mail-in ballots were already counted as of Oct. 16. Voters must renew their mail-in ballot request every two general elections, according to state statutes. Mail-in ballots can be requested on the county supervisor of elections’ website until Oct. 24. They can take five to six days to arrive but can also be picked up from the supervisor of elections office, located at 515 N. Main St., with a picture and signature ID. Instructions on how to fill it out will arrive with the ballot. The ovals next to the intended candidate must be filled completely. If a voter makes a mistake, they should request a new ballot. The next step is to seal the ballot in the return envelope provided and sign the voter's certificate on the back of the envelope. Voters should use the same signature shown on their government-issued ID or the supervisor
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of elections office may invalidate the ballot. Including the secrecy sleeve, another envelope meant to protect the integrity of the ballot, is recommended but will not stop a ballot from being counted. Mail-in ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, so voters should send them back as soon as possible. While most voters will send their ballots through the mail, there are other options available. Ballots can be dropped off at the supervisor of elections’ office before Election Day. Drop boxes will also be available outside early voting locations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m until Oct. 31. After the ballot is dropped off or sent back to the supervisor of elections’ office, its status can be tracked online. This is the most accurate way to ensure that your ballot is received and counted. The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office can be contacted Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 352-374-5252. Residents who speak Spanish can call toll free at 833-875-0365. Information about voteby-mail can also be obtained by emailing votebymail@ alachuacounty.us. @AlanHalaly ahalaly@alligator.org
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 ALLIGATOR 5
Meet the Florida House of Representatives District 21 candidates CHUCK CLEMONS IS THE INCUMBENT WHO EMPHASIZES THE ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURE
By Steven Walker Alligator Staff Writer Republican Campaign Finances Monetary contributions: $386,109.20 Total spending: $165,262.86 All information from Florida Department of State Division of Elections
Chuck Clemons, who has represented Florida’s 21st House District since 2016, is running for a third term this November. The 63-year-old incumbent Republican is running against Democratic nominee Kayser Enneking to represent Florida’s 21st House District in Tallahassee. Enneking lost a race for Florida Senate District 8 against Keith Perry in 2018. Clemons’ platform emphasizes protecting the environment, funding education and supporting agriculture. He won his last bid for reelection in 2018 by about 2,000 votes. As the Chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in the Florida House of Representatives, Clemons said the environment is vitally important to him. In 2018, he proposed a bill to ban fracking in Florida. Fracking is a natural gas drilling method considered to be harmful to the environment. The bill died in committee without ever reaching a vote. “We have to push back on some of the pressure that human beings are placing onto our environment in Florida,” Clemons said. “That’s why I’ve been staunch about banning fracking.” Environmental conservation is one of the campaign’s major focuses, Clemons said. He helped secure $200 million in Florida’s annual budget to go towards natural spring restoration. There are multiple springs in Clemons’ district, such as Ginnie Springs in Gilchrist County.
ENNEKING IS A PHYSICIAN WHO WANTS TO CHANGE FLORIDA’S HEALTH DISPARITIES SHE’S SEEN FIRSTHAND By Anna Wilder Alligator Staff Writer Democrat Campaign Finances Monetary contributions: $497,735.40 Total spending: $273,338.28 All information from Florida Department of State Division of Elections
Dr. Kayser Enneking’s years of work as a physician have opened her eyes to issues in Florida’s communities, such as
Education is an important and personal issue, Clemons said. He is a first-generation college graduate. Clemons attended Lake City Community College, now known as Florida Gateway College, and then graduated from UF in 1979 with a degree in advertising. In March 2020, Clemons voted in favor of budgeting $500 million to increase teacher salaries in Florida. The bill passed unanimously through both the House and the Senate. “I’m proud to have been a part of that progress,” he said. Clemons also works in higher education. He is the Santa Fe College vice president of advancement where he helps secure scholarship funding for first-generation students, underrepresented populations and non-traditional students. Much of Florida House District 21 is rural, and agriculture is a large part of Clemons’ platform. Clemons said he continues to fight for the state to provide local farmers with guidance on issues such as pesticides and regulations. Clemons does not always vote along party lines. He said he is proud of voting against two of the first five House bills of the 2020 legislative session. These bills were favorites of House Speaker Republican José Oliva and voting against them was breaking party lines, he said. Clemons was a Democrat up until 1998, when he said the party began moving too far to the left. In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Clemons’ campaign adjusted its tactics. The campaign shut down in-person canvassing in the spring but has since resumed the practice. Clemons said the campaign is knocking on doors and standing up to 15 feet away in order to physically distance. “We’ve had several people say, ‘You know, you’re the first state representative that’s ever knocked on my door, and I’ve lived here for 32 years,’” Clemons said. “So that’s very rewarding.” Clemons said he has utilized Zoom to campaign to groups such as the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association and the Builders Association of North Central Florida. He said he’s had to get used to the digital platforms, and he’s spoken with dozens of organizations through Zoom.
lack of nutrition and education and homeslessness, which are roots of the disparities in the healthcare system. The Gainesville native and UF anesthesiology professor is the Democratic nominee for the Florida House of Representatives District 21. Enneking’s policies are based on affordable health care, COVID-19 recovery, education, economic opportunity, protecting the environment, reforming gun laws and putting families first. She is running against Republican nominee Chuck Clemons. Clemons is running for his third term in the Florida House of Representatives. He won his last bid for re-election in 2018 by 2,000 votes. Enneking first ran, and lost, in 2018 as a first time candidate against Republican Keith Perry for Florida’s 8th district senate seat. She said it was a bruising election and believed many people in the community felt like the vote had been stolen from her. “It didn’t feel like it was a fair n’ square race,” Enneking said. “I couldn’t go to Publix without seeing someone and them saying ‘Ah they robbed you, you should’ve been state senator.’” She lost the election by 1%. She said losing made her think she wasn’t cut out to run as a politician. However, she said there were a lot of people who pushed her to run again. “I kind of had an obligation to use the name recognition I had and all the time and energy and money that people had put into me to make sure I did something good with it,” Enneking said. “And so, that’s how I find myself running again.” The basic care of our communities is lacking, Enneking said. Through experiences with patients, she has seen the healthcare system fail at the basic levels. Enneking said she wants to emulate a North Carolina program called NCCARE360 in Florida. It allows health care providers who notice patients who are dealing with food insecurity, housing security, education security or homelessness, to make a referral to a hub, she said. This hub can then refer patients to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or housing and education sites for them to receive better care. “There are a bunch of services that are out there for people, but they’re just not very well connected up,” Enneking said.
Nicole McEwan, a 20-year-old UF political science junior, is an intern for Clemons’ campaign. McEwan said he cares more about education than other candidates she’s seen. This in turn makes him more receptive and considerate to his student campaign interns, she said. Clemons is passionate about what he does, McEwan said, and it’s one of the main reasons she supports him. “I’ve gotten to see how passionate he is about what he is doing,” McEwan said. “He’s really dedicated to changing the community and representing the public interest.” @swalker_7 swalker@alligator.org
“And oftentimes, folks who have some of these problems are not the most savvy at navigating our system.” In March, when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, Enneking said she worked hard at her hospital preparing for what she thought would be a rush of patients. She believes it was extremely arrogant and short-sighted of Gov. Ron DeSantis to push to start re-opening in May. Although new teachers did get a pay raise in Florida in June, Enneking said there are veteran teachers, bus drivers, office staff and employees that need one too. “Schools are important, they’re important for our kids, but they’re important part communities as well, and our communities, and they’re part of the sort of fabric that knits us all together,” Enneking said. In terms of gun violence, she supports the “Moms Demand Action’’ approach, which is helping to understand issues that will help with gun safety. She said it’s really important to not propose ideas that cut off conversation and talk about these common sense policies that actually reduce gun violence. Ground zero for climate change is here in Florida, Enneking said. She said Florida needs to get to the root of this problem and needs to be investing in a different energy source than fossil fuels. “Climate change is real, baby, and it is an existential crisis,” Enneking said. “...I’ll be damned if I sit around and I don’t do anything about this.” Amanda Rivera, a 23-year-old UF political science master’s student, is Enneking’s field director. She said she is really passionate about getting a good Democrat in the House District 21 seat. Rivera said voters of House District 21 will see that Enneking is not the average politician, and she has Florida’s best interest at heart. “She really is a doctor with Florida’s best interest at heart and the district’s best interests at heart, and I think that voters will see that, and we will be victorious on November 3,” Rivera said.
@anna_wilderr awilder@alligator.org
6 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
Christensen’s priority is small business growth CHRISTENSEN, from pg. 1
Despite past election results, this race is closer than one would think, Christensen said. He thinks Yoho only won elections by such big margins because of his name recognition. Christensen said he does not consider his policy platform to be radical. He said his number one policy priority is small business growth and protecting small businesses from monopolies and big corporations. “We haven’t been growing, we’ve been stagnant for a very long time,” Christensen said. “I think people are sick of that.” Born in Kansas and raised in Indiana, Christensen traveled the country after college before settling down in Gainesville at age 22 to start his business. He’s the CEO of Essential Validation Services, a biotechnology laboratory that tests natural products such as essential oils and CBD. Christensen said he wants to put small business incubators in every county in the district so people with an idea for a business don’t move somewhere else. Small business incubators are spaces where small businesses can rent space with other small businesses in a community to grow together. He also said he is passionate about protecting college stu-
dents from student loan debt. Christensen’s platform supports making higher education free to all who want it. Although Election Day is Nov. 3, early voting in Alachua County starts Oct. 19. The campaign is going to up its pace in these last few weeks, Christensen said. “We just hit fourth gear,” he said. “We’re about to hit fifth, and this is a six-speed.” Christensen supports universal basic income, a policy popularized by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, according to his campaign website. Universal basic income is a policy where the government allows every adult to opt into a stipend every month in place of welfare programs. “Here’s your money back from the government, go spend it however you want,” Christensen wrote in a tweet. Christensen also supports Medicare For All, a policy sponsored by former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The policy proposes a universal single-payer healthcare system where people pay for healthcare through the government. In Gainesville, organizers marched from UF’s campus to downtown multiple times in response to the death of George Floyd. Christensen marched with the protesters and said he supports reallocating funding from police budgets to other so-
cial services. “The funding needs to go to make sure that we’re actually investing in things that lower crime,” he said. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign evolved and changed. Anton Kernohan, a 21-year-old UF political science and sustainability junior, is Christensen’s campaign manager. The campaign was built for a situation like this because of how young everyone is, he said. “We are lucky that we designed our campaign to be entirely youth-led,” Kernohan said. “That meant we knew how to use social media, and we knew how to run a virtual campaign.” Despite the focus shift to online platforms, the campaign has had to adapt to the competition. Kernohan said the campaign has been knocking on doors again as the campaign hits the final stretch. The doors the campaign knocks on are in places that normally do not vote Democratic, Christensen said. In order to get people to open their doors, Christensen said the campaign has been employing creative strategies, like wearing red shirts instead of blue, a color associated with the Democratic party.
@swalker_7 swalker@alligator.org
The biggest issue to Cammack is fiscal spending CAMMACK, from pg. 1 Cammack is running against Adam Christensen, the Democratic nominee. Her goal: standing in Congress alongside President Trump. He first endorsed Cammack on Sept. 10 via Twitter. She also spoke at his campaign rally on Friday in Ocala. “Our country in the next 20 days is going to be making a decision between socialism and freedom,” Cammack said. “And that is really what the nexus of this election is all about.” Cammack grew up on a cattle farm as the daughter of a single mother. Her family ran a commercial sandblasting and monument business. Growing up, she saw gaps in how the federal government directed funding to small businesses. “Really seeing how the government, particularly big government or federal government, did not facilitate or really create an environ-
ment in which businesses could thrive,” Cammack said. “I learned firsthand the red tape that was involved.” In April 2011, the family ended up losing their small cattle ranch to a government program called the Home Affordable Modification Program, a federal loan modification program introduced in 2009 to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Cammack said she had 23 days to evict and was in hotels for several months. “When you’re homeless for several months, that uncertainty is terrifying,” Cammack said. Cammack said the U.S. needs to make critical reform to these programs. She said it is the job of representatives in Washington D.C. to be good stewards of taxpayer money. “No one is talking about the mandatory spending in Washington that’s on autopilot, and that’s Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid,” Cammack said. She has also been working with the North
Central Florida Human Trafficking task force for the last seven years and said it’s an issue that has been swept under the rug. “It’s something that is happening here in our backyards, it’s happening here in Gainesville, it’s happening everywhere,” Cammack said. “We collectively need to come together to make sure that no one is trafficked in this country or globally.” Faith Allen, a 20-year-old UF telecommunication junior, is Cammack’s press secretary. Allen said she is proud to support a young female conservative. Allen said she has been working for Cammack since January and met her last August when she was interning with Ted Yoho for the fall semester of 2019. Allen said she thinks Cammack is going to win and said Cammack is fully prepared to take on the policies she stands with. “Kat is an inspiration, she’s an incredibly hard worker,” Allen said. “To see her really
take this young team under her wing is really important to me.” In March, when everything started shutting down, she said her campaign took a hit in fundraising due to uncertainty from donors. Cammack said they were able to translate their grassroots strategy from being in the field to online and over the phone. “While COVID has definitely turned our entire world upside down, we have adapted, and I think that’s a sign of how we will be in Washington,” Cammack said. If she wins, Cammack said she will be taking an oath to the U.S. Constitution, not to a party. That means representing all constituents, Democrats, Republicans and everyone in-between, she said. “In this district, we have 710,000 constituents that have jobs and families and lives, and they need to make sure that their representative has got their back,” Cammack said.
@anna_wilderr awilder@alligator.org
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 ALLIGATOR 7
8 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
Meet the District 1 County Commission candidates THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER WANTS TO FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH SHE VIEWS AS A BALANCE BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY AND EQUITY
By Diane Hernandez Alligator Staff Writer Mary Alford, 59 Democrat Campaign Finances Monetary Contributions: $31,290.69 Total Spending: $26,298.84 All information from Voter Focus
Mary Alford is an environmental engineer and Santa Fe College and UF graduate who owns The Sustainable Design Group, an architecture and engineering consulting firm. Alford’s projects aim to reduce carbon footprints. Aside from her professional experience, Alford was impacted by the death of her 24-yearold son, Joseph Peter Williamson, who didn’t go to the emergency room when he felt sick because he didn’t have valid insurance. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008 and died a year later. After her son’s death, Alford became interested in politics, joining Alachua County’s Environmental Protection Board in 2013. In the past decade, she served on several local committees, including the Gainesville Utility Advisory Board and Alachua County Code Enforcement Board. “I don’t want that to happen to any other
THE ATTORNEY SAID SHE’S RUNNING TO REPRESENT THE WILL OF ALL ALACHUA COUNTY RESIDENTS Raemi Eagle-Glenn, 40 Republican Campaign Finances Monetary contributions: $26,642.96 Total Spending: $18,071.54 All information from Voter Focus
Raemi Eagle-Glenn is an attorney and owner of Everything Mac, a computer repair store in Gainesville. Eagle-Glenn graduated from UF’s Levin College of Law in 2011, specializing in environmental law. She now works on civil law cases, which usually deal with businesses, contracts and real estate, she said. She also prepared memorandums, or documents recording legal details, when former U.S. President Barack Obama pardoned drug trafficking offenders. Eagle-Glenn believes the Alachua County Commission has only focused on Gainesville and failed to represent rural residents. She said she’s running because she wants to represent the will of the people. That’s why Eagle-Glenn unsuccessfully threatened to sue the Alachua County Commission over its face mask order in May. She said the mandate discriminated against those with medical disabilities and violated medical privacy. “When I saw that the courts in this country were allowing local governments to continue with extreme regulations that infringe upon our basic constitutional
rights, I decided I needed to take the fight to the ballot box,” she said. Eagle-Glenn believes that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ orders were enough for Alachua County because the county is smaller than others, like Miami-Dade. Mask requirements and occupancy limits shouldn’t have been as strict as those in larger counties. Her store, Everything Mac, could only have half a person inside because of the county’s occupancy limits for 3 days in March. She appealed to the city of Gainesville, and her business was deemed essential. If elected, she said she would only encourage residents to wear masks. She would also reduce occupancy limits on small businesses. Eagle-Glenn also said she believes that Black lives matter, which is why she would advocate to police all neighborhoods equally. After speaking to some Black men in Alachua County, she said they want law and order within their neighborhoods. She would advocate to fund ACSO, infrastructure and education. The county stunted East Gainesville’s growth in 2016 by not allowing Seattlebased Plum Creek Development to create a new city center in the area, she said. The main change needs to stem from reworking the 2021 fiscal year budget, Eagle-Glenn said. Loosening COVID-19 restrictions will allow for more development, which could help the Black community grow because jobs will become available, she said. If jobs grow, so will affordable housing, she added. @dianehern19 dhernandez@alligator.org
person,” she said. “Especially now with COVID-19 with people that don’t have access to medical care.” If elected, Alford said she would focus on sustainability, which she defines as a balance among the environment, the economy and equity. She said the county needs to work on its current infrastructure and to prepare for uncertainties, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. “You can build the greenest building in the world, but if you can’t afford it, it doesn’t get built,” she said. “If everybody can’t have access to the things that are good and healthy, then that’s not equitable.” Alford also said she would continue to enforce Alachua County’s face mask order and occupancy limits. While the county financially assisted residents through the CARES Act grant, Alford said she would also increase food distribution to residents struggling with food insecurity. This process would begin with a coordinator who would identify areas where food isn’t as available, she said. She said she fully supports the Black Lives Matter movement but wouldn’t push to defund the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Instead, she would advocate for the department to hire social workers and mental health and substance abuse counselors to handle non-violent emergency situations. She would also advocate to move toward a bail-free system. The bail system keeps detainees in jail until the trial. However, she said courts can instead use ankle bracelets or call the accused before their trial.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 ALLIGATOR 9
Meet the District 3 Alachua County Commission Candidates PRIZZIA CANDIDATE PLANS TO PRIORITIZE EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION By Alan Halaly Alligator Staff Writer Anna Prizzia, 43 Democrat Campaign Finances Monetary contributions: $46,983.01 Total spending: $43,125.51 All information from Voter Focus
Anna Prizzia is an alum of the Peace Corps and director of the UF Field and Fork Program, an initiative within the pantry that aims to solve food insecurity among students. She received her master’s degree in wildlife ecology and conservation at UF and moved to Alachua County in 2000. “As soon as I put my toes in the springs, I knew I’d never leave,” Prizzia said. Although she has no experience as an elected official, she said she has dealt with bureaucracy at the university. She has worked alongside local governments while at the UF Office of Sustainability and the Field and Fork Program. Prizzia said she feels economic and racial disparities are Alachua County’s greatest weakness. She said she would prioritize education, community development and natural resource conservation. If elected, she hopes to address climate
change preparedness and water quality. She also said she would incentivize renewable energy in local businesses while also upgrading infrastructure to withstand increased heat and storms. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission responded quickly and listened to medical experts, Prizzia said. She cited the county’s face mask order and social distancing requirements. However, Prizzia said the commission could have done a better job managing CARES Act funding. She said the application process was slow, which impacted businesses that needed money quickly. To Prizzia, the policy of continuing to expand westward while neglecting historically Black communities like East Gainesville is a huge problem. Black lives matter, Prizzia said, and they are important to the unique character of the community. Prizzia said she would bring a community development finance institution to Alachua County, which is a credit union that helps financing for poor and impoverished residents. The CDFI would be funded from deposits made by local government and businesses. She believes this would support equitable development because it would be more likely to lend money to people with lower credit scores, and she hopes to use the program to finance community development projects. If elected, Prizzia said she would work with sheriff-elect Clovis Watson Jr. to focus on community policing and advocate to demilitarize the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
THE REALTOR AND FORMER NEWBERRY COUNTY COMMISSIONER WANTS TO BE ‘A VOICE FOR THE UNHEARD ‘ Joy Glanzer, 65 Republican Campaign Finances Monetary Contributions: $18,480.00 Total spending: $14,024.54 All information from Voter Focus
Joy Glanzer was a Newberry City Commissioner until 2019 and has owned Glanzer Realty, a real estate agency since 2009. She said she has been a public servant since joining the parent-teacher association at her children’s school at 20 years old. While on the city commission, she said she advocated to move the Alachua County Fairgrounds to Newberry. She believes this success prompted a later decision to add a Newberry UF-Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences extension facility. She also said she convinced all four male commissioners to budget for 8-week paid parental leave for city employees. As a Newberry resident, she said she believes smaller municipalities are often rendered voiceless in Alachua County politics. That’s why she decided to run for county office. “I wanted to be a voice for the unheard,” she said. “Even though they have a smaller population, they still pay the same taxes as they do in Gainesville, and that’s why I feel they need a voice.” COVID-19 recovery efforts, a living wage and the creation of more affordable housing
are the most important issues to Glanzer. If elected, she said she would work with sheriff-elect Watson to create a task force to place addicts in drug rehabilitation programs instead of the Alachua County Jail. She started a Newberry Nar Anon chapter, a support group for the families of addicts. The county commission deserves praise for adapting to challenges posed by COVID-19, Glanzer said. The face mask order and business shutdowns were necessary for residents’ safety. She said COVID-19 policies should be crafted using science-based evidence and listening to experts. The only measure she wouldn’t agree to would be checking that social distancing is followed on private property. As a small business owner, Glanzer said she would relax regulations, lower taxes and start a task force with commissioners and business owners. She also said she supports a $15 an hour living wage so that residents can afford housing and rely less on social services. Like Prizzia, she pointed to inequities in Alachua County. “You look on the east side of town and don’t you see the nice curbs, gutters, sidewalks and landscaping that you do on the west side,” Glanzer said. “You look at the east side schools and they don’t have new desks.” Glanzer is an organizer with Truth and Reconciliation, an effort to recall Alachua County’s history of racial injustice and lynchings. She said she believes in the importance of bringing injustice to light. “If you can’t understand the past, you can’t move forward,” she said. @AlanHalaly ahalaly@alligator.org
10 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
Ballot initiative could mean millions for Alachua County Public Schools RESIDENTS HAVE VOTED FOR THE ONE MILL INITIATIVE EVERY FOUR YEARS SINCE 2008 By Sophie Feinberg Alligator Staff Writer
Florida has some of the lowest education funding in the U.S. A local measure on the November ballot could prevent program losses related to budget cuts and low funding. The One Mill Ad Valorem Tax for School District Operating Expenses, a measure that supports arts and magnet programming, counselors, media specialists and technology in Alachua County Public Schools, is up for renewal. A “yes” vote would extend the tax from July 2021 to June 2025. Residents have voted on the One Mill every four years since 2008 and passed it each time. More than 75% of voters supported it in 2016. The measure funds music, career and magnet programs. It also covers partial or full salaries for teachers and specialists, such as music teachers, counselors and librarians. The tax, if reapproved, is expected to raise about $17 million for schools in the coming year. The initiative is funded by imposing taxes at one mill, a tax rate. In this case, the tax rate is worth $1 for every $1,000 of the taxable value of owned property. It costs less than $7 per month for the average homeowner, according to the school board website. Because it’s a renewal, the approval wouldn’t cost taxpayers any extra money. Now, the initiative will also help address financial effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic has cost the school district about $16 million, which could be due to lower revenues as a result of less economic activity during the pandemic. Certain measures that provide the school district money earn funds through sales taxes, such as the Half-Cent for Schools, a different measure that supports facilities improvements. While the school district’s budget has increased this year, there are still challenges stemming from decreased state funding. This is largely due to cuts to property taxes, which fund schools. ACPS incurred costs totaling more than $12 million from teacher training, personal protective equipment and extra technology purchases, ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson said. “It’s important for people to recognize we are facing a critical financial crisis worse than we were facing when it was first approved during the Great Recession,” Johnson said. The measure brought in more than $128 million for schools since 2009, according to a 2019 report from the One Mill Oversight Committee. It covers the salaries of over 300 employees and purchases of thousands of pieces of technology, ranging from computers to projectors. The program is crucial for continuing programs that were at risk of being cut, Johnson said. During the Great Recession, the county’s music programs halved. With the tax, there is guaranteed funding to avoid that, she added. For concerned voters, Johnson said the ballot language is very specific about where money is spent, Johnson said. An oversight committee reviews all expenditures to ensure money is spent as voters intended. However, some voters are still worried about how the funds are used.
Chanae Jackson, a 41-year-old former East Gainesville resident, sends her daughter to private school because of the inequity she sees in public schools. To Jackson, the initiative pushes a disproportionate amount of funding into magnet programs. About 32% of funding goes to magnets and career programs. Black students make up 35% of the school district’s population but only 13% of magnet students. “Yes, we should say yes to the One Mill,” she said. “But then there should have to be a step two. And that step two is to require that the district give us a plan and to show us that the plan is going to be equitable.” One Mill helps fund programs like the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School. Students in the program learn everything about the culinary and hospitality industries, said Pam Bedford, director of the program. About 90% of her students ultimately end up in these sectors. She usually has about 100 students each year. “Without this money, I don’t have a job,” Bedford said. “These students do not have this opportunity.” The students might be seen catering with Centerplate, an event venue catering and hospitality services business, during game days at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Bedford wonders where her students would be without the program. “We have to have it to keep these students engaged in learning,” she said. “You know, some of these students, this is the only reason they come to school.” Erin Coolican-Dickman, a 39-year-old mother to a seventh grader at Fort Clarke Middle
Shannon Ahern // Alligator Staff
School, has seen the impact of the initiative. When in elementary school at Glen Springs, her daughter, Lily, got hooked on music. She joined the rock band club after school and learned to play guitar, the bass and even the drums. She now plays clarinet at Fort Clarke. Coolican-Dickman said she already voted for the measure on her early mail-in ballot. “I think that having a well-rounded student is more important than having just complete focus on academics,” she said.
@feinberg_sophie sfeinberg@alligator.org
Local amendments on November’s ballot offer incremental change THESE AMENDMENTS RANGE FROM CITY OF GAINESVILLE AMENDMENTS TO COUNTYWIDE CHARTER CHANGES By Steven Walker and Anna Wilder Alligator Staff Writers
Local amendments on the ballot propose changes that could affect policy at the local level. Six proposed amendments are to the Alachua County charter, and four amendments are for the City of Gainesville charter. Establish a Growth Management Zone
The Establish a Growth Management Zone amendment would establish areas the county wants to preserve for the environment, said Mark Sexton, the communications and legislative affairs director for Alachua County. On the proposed zone map, the grey indicates zones that are already incorporated into cities while the green indicates the proposed growth management zone. If cities want to expand into the green zone, they would have to follow strict county environmental ordinances. The area would not constrain Alachua County municipalities, Sexton said. He said it would likely take cities decades to expand to the point where the county protects the area. Municipal and County Relationship for Protection of Natural Resources
The Municipal and County Relationship for Protection of Natural Resources amendment would establish a relationship between cities and the county in terms of natural resources and the environment. This would apply to the cities of Gainesville, Alachua, Newberry, Archer, High Springs, Lacrosse, Waldo, Hawthorne and Micanopy. If passed, cities could pass ordinances that are stricter, but not more lenient, than Alachua County’s environmental ordinances. Identification and Elimination of Racial and Gender Bias in Alachua County Policies
The Identification and Elimination of Racial and Gender Bias in Alachua County Policies amendment asks voters if
they want the county’s board of commissioners to annually explore ways to eliminate racial and gender bias in county programs and services. This would create an annual commission review of county policies and programs, Sexton said. The review would encompass things such as new ordinances, the sheriff’s office and the supervisor of elections office among other county programs. Establishing Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The Establishing Alachua County Affordable Housing Trust Fund amendment proposes the creation of a county trust fund for affordable housing. If the amendment passed, it would not mean the county is budgeting for affordable housing, Sexton said. It creates a framework for the county to raise funds if it ever wanted to start funding for affordable housing. Sexton said Alachua County offers limited housing assistance, like down payment assistance and rental assistance, in conjunction with coronavirus relief from the federal government. Candidate Treasurer Report Requirements
The Candidate Treasurer Report Requirements amendment proposes removing any requirement to turn in treasury reports filings by paper. Currently, candidates have to file these reports electronically and by paper. Removing Unconstitutional Provisions
The Removing Unconstitutional Provisions amendment proposes removing unconstitutional provisions from previous amendments. One provision the amendment seeks to remove imposes unconstitutional residency requirements for Alachua County Commission candidates. Currently, candidates must move to the area they are running in as soon as they begin campaigning. This amendment would allow candidates who are running to stay where they currently reside, even if they don’t live in the region they are running in, until they are elected. The amendment also proposes removing a provision which prohibits protections based on sexual orientation, preference or similar characteristics. In 1993, the county commission passed an ordinance that added these protections, but a citizens initiative countered it and got enough signatures to remove these protections. A few months later, a judge struck
it down as a violation of the 14th amendment, but the harmful language was never removed. The county measures get voted on by everyone in the county; however, city amendments are only on the ballot for voters within the city of Gainesville municipal boundaries. Changing the name of the Charter Officer
The Changing the name of the Charter Officer amendment proposes changing the name of the Charter officer from “Clerk of the Commission” to “City Clerk.” Shelby Taylor, the communications director for the office of communications and engagement for the city of Gainesville, said this amendment really has no impact beyond reflecting the professional status of the position. Eliminating Restrictions on Construction of Paved Surfaces on City-Owned Land
The Eliminating Restrictions on Construction of Paved Surfaces on City-Owned Land amendment proposes tearing back some of the more restrictive funding designations that require only certain funds be used to pay for paved surfaces on city-owned land. Mark Sexton said there are some misconceptions that this project will lower property values or make places as more dangerous. But, data shows the opposite, he said, and people become more cognizant of these areas when utilized. Limiting Commission Authority to Dispose of Certain Utility Systems
The Limiting Commission Authority to Dispose of Certain Utility Systems amendment on the ballot prevents the county commission from selling utility systems without voter approval. Taylor said electric services are currently protected from sale, but other utilities are not. Creating a Preamble to the Charter
The Creating a Preamble to the Charter amendment would add a preamble to the city charter that would explain why the document is important and the city’s values. Taylor said most charters have a preamble, and passing this amendment is more for consistency and to be more similar to other charters. swalker@alligator.org awilder@alligator.org @swalker_7
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 ALLIGATOR 11
12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
Six Amendments to Florida’s Constitution are on the ballot THE AMENDMENTS INCLUDE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE MINIMUM WAGE AND PRIMARY SYSTEM By Steven Walker and Anna Wilder Alligator Staff Writers
On the ballot this November are six amendments to the Florida Constitution. Amendments 1-4 are citizen-proposed amendments which made it on the ballot by obtaining over 766,000 signatures from Florida residents. Amendments 5 and 6 were proposed and unanimously passed by the Florida Legislature. Now, voters will decide if the amendments become law. Amendment 1
Amendment 1 is a measure to change the words in the Florida constitution from “every citizen of the U.S. who is 18 years old or older can vote in Florida” to “only a citizen of the U.S. who is 18 years old or older can vote in Florida.” Non-citizens are not able to vote in Florida, and this amendment doesn’t change that. Pedro Malavet, a UF law professor, said the single word change in Amendment 1 does nothing legally substantial. However, he said the change in wording is a symbolic nativist statement and can be seen as xenophobic. “Voting is a right, and the change in the wording changes the commitment to the right to vote into language that suggests that it’s more a privilege than a right,” Malavet said. Malavet said he worries that people who do have a right to vote currently may experience burdens or voter suppression from the change in wording. He said the wording could be interpreted to limit the right to vote, and result in strict voter ID laws and a lack of lingual diversity on ballots. John Loudon, the chairman of the amendment’s sponsor organization, Florida Citizen Voters, argues the change could prevent cities from allowing non-citizens to vote, as some in other states have, according to the Tampa Bay Times. San Francisco allowed noncitizens, including those without legal status to vote in a school board race in 2018. No municipality in Florida allows this. Jeremiah Tattersall, the 34-year-old chair of Alachua County Labor Coalition and a UF alumnus, said Amendment 1 doesn’t actually do anything. “It’s on there to encourage misinformed people that believe that non-citizens are voting or even able to vote,” Tattersall said. “I mean, there’s no reason anyone should vote ‘yes’ on this amendment.” Amendment 2
Amendment 2 proposes to increase the minimum wage to $10 per hour effective September 30, 2021, and would then increase by $1.00 per hour every year until the minimum wage reaches $15.00 in 2026. For minimum wage workers like Krisdawn Simpson-Voss, a 21-year-old working four jobs, the change could mean a night off with her friends, or even more — a better livelihood. “I just go to work, come home, sleep and repeat,” Voss said. “I haven’t had a day off in three months; it’s not killing me yet, but I feel drained.” Voss said the minimum wage isn’t survivable with one job in Gainesville. Oftentimes she finds herself barely able to stay awake and upset she can’t take a night off like most friends her age. Voss said even a one dollar raise would help. “I get home at 5 a.m. or 7 a.m. On days with only night shifts, I tend to sleep for 12 hours and sometimes sleep my whole day because I’m so exhausted,” Voss said “It’s not even my body. It’s my mind that’s exhausted, and then I just get up, go back to work. I do the same thing over.” However, Sandra Carlisi, the owner of East End Eatery in Gainesville on 1202 NE 8th Ave., said she probably won’t vote for the minimum wage raise because her restaurant is barely scraping by as it is. She said she supported the idea of the raise before COVID-19, but now the timing isn’t right. “It’s a really difficult time for small businesses in general, and I think that an added payroll burden would be the end of some businesses,” Carlisi said. Although her restaurant didn’t close, it was limited to carry out for months and hasn’t had many customers after opening up the restaurant for dine in. Carlisi is not alone. By June 15, 57,000 restaurants permanently closed their doors due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Yelp Economic Average report for the second quarter of 2020. A month later, the number of closures rose to 72,842.
John Morgan, founder of Morgan and Morgan law firm, is the sponsor of Amendment 2. He is also the chair of the Florida for a Fair Wage campaign. The UF double alumnus in political science and law said getting Amendment 2 on the ballot took time and work. He first started getting signatures for Amendment 2 over two years ago, and collected over a million signatures to get it on the ballot. Twenty-one states began 2020 with higher minimum wages than the previous year. Seven states; Alaska, Florida, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, South Dakota, and Vermont automatically increased their rates based on the cost of living. Florida’s minimum wage was $8.46 in 2019, and was raised to $8.56 in 2020. If Amendment 2 is approved, Florida would become the first state to increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour through a ballot measure, and would be the highest minimum wage rate of any ballot measure as of 2020. “I believe that in America, the single issue that is causing so much distress, friction, violence and just pure frustration is income and equality,” he said. “During the pandemic, the rich got way richer, the poor got poorer. We saw who our essential workers were, and it is essential that we treat them with dignity.” Hector Sandoval, a UF assistant economics professor, said there is not a lot of information about how Amendment 2 will affect the economy. With huge job losses and high unemployment rates resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s hard to say whether or not this will be a good thing for Florida, he said. Florida’s unemployment rate in September was 7.6%, down from 11.3% in July. “Small businesses are facing a lot of hardship because of the pandemic, and it’s a very different situation right now,” Sandoval said. Sandoval said previous research had shown the minimum wage increase would harm the economy because there would be fewer job opportunities. However, recent research has shown the negative employment effects are very small. Although a 2017 study from Econofact showed little negative effect, Sandoval said COVID-19 changes things, especially for the economy. He said if restaurants that are already facing economic hardships were forced to pay their workers more, it could mean additional costs on products and possibly reducing staff. Ashley Chambers, press secretary for Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, a nonprofit organization for restaurants and hospitality, said Amendment 2 will devastate Florida’s small businesses. “If they’ve already survived COVID, restaurants are going to have to make hard decisions about how to be able to afford such a large increase in their own costs,” Chambers said. Amendment 3
Almost a quarter of Alachua County’s about 191,000 registered voters cannot vote in primary elections. But Amendment 3 proposes an open “top-two” primary election system that could change that. The top-two system differs from a normal open primary, where parties still have separate ballots. In both systems, voters of any party affiliation can participate in the primary and vote for one candidate. Florida is one of nine states in the U.S. that holds completely closed state primary elections, meaning only voters registered to a political party can vote in that party’s primary election. Over 45,000 registered voters in Alachua County cannot vote in major-party primary elections because of their registration. If the amendment passes, candidates from all parties would be on the same primary ballot, and the two with the most votes would face off in the general election. Only two other states, California and Washington, have a top-two open primary system. Joshua Christopher, a 35-year-old registered Republican in Alachua County, said he only aligns with the party because of Florida’s closed primary system. He plans to vote in favor of Amendment 3. Christopher, who lives in northwest Gainesville, said sheriff elections are something he feels left out of because of closed primaries. “As a conservative, or as a libertarian, I do not have a voice to vote who’s going to be my sheriff,” he said. “I don’t believe that’s how the founding fathers wanted it.” Chris Jones, the vice chair of the Alachua County Affiliate of the Libertarian Party of Florida, said the organization does not support the amendment. Non-party members should not be able to make decisions for private organizations, which political
SEE AMENDMENTS, PAGE 13
Aubrey Bocalan and Shannon Ahern // Alligator Staff
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 ALLIGATOR 13
AMENDMENTS, from pg. 12 parties are, he said. “I don’t think it’s great that a large portion of population had no say in that election,” Jones said. “But at the same time that is what the opposing party’s job is to do is put forth the candidate.” The NAACP Florida State Conference and the League of Women Voters of Florida have come out against the amendment. In a statement, the league said it believed a top-two system would adversely affect Black candidates. Both the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Democratic Party have also come out publicly against the amendment, testifying to the Florida Supreme Court. Carol Weissert, a political science professor at Florida State University researching state politics, said the parties might be worried that opening their primaries to new voters could create unwanted results. She said the amendment could change the number of registered non-party voters in the state. More voters aged 19 to 29 tend to register as non-party-affiliated, Weissert said, and they may be more inclined not to vote in primaries because they would have to change their party affiliations to do so. “That’s the wrong signal to send to young voters,” Weissert said. “We want people to vote.” Tom Wells, a former Democratic candidate for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, said non-party voter participation in primary elections would help to moderate extremes in the Democratic and Republican parties, specifically on issues like climate change. Wells believes if the Aug. 18 primary election was an open “toptwo” primary, the district could have seen two Democrats on the general election ballot. While the top two vote-getters in the Aug. 18 primary were Republican Kat Cammack and Democrat Adam Christensen, Wells said he thinks many no-party voters would have voted for either him, Philip Dodds or Adam Christensen. “We need to let everybody have a decision in the primary as to what path of destruction we’re going down,” Wells said. “Really fast, or slightly slower.” Amendment 4
Aubrey Bocalan and Shannon Ahern // Alligator Staff
The most funded measure on November’s ballot would require any Florida ballot measure passed in the future to be passed a second time in the next election before it takes effect. Sponsoring Amendment 4 is the Keep Our Constitution Clean PAC. Jason Zimmerman, the PAC chairman, said the amendment helps voters understand the impact of what a constitutional amendment is. As of 2020, ballot measures in Florida only need to pass one time with a 60% supermajority. “We should make the people want to understand the gravity of what they’re doing,” he said. Nevada is the only other state that requires constitutional amendments to be passed a second time.
The state implemented the requirement in 1962. Nevada voters have passed 14 amendments since then, and of those, only two did not pass again in the next election. North Dakota is also voting on a similar amendment this November. Zimmerman said the PAC used the $9 million raised in support of the amendment to collect signatures to get it on the ballot. None of the money is being spent right now, he said. “When you’re talking about the foundational document over government, I think you should be slow and careful in what you’re doing,” he said. Many organizations oppose the amendment, including the League of Women Voters of Florida. In its official statement, the organization said the amendment would limit a citizen’s ability to engage in direct democracy. In 2018, Alachua County overwhelmingly voted in favor of the amendment that gave ex-felons the right to vote in Florida. About 73% of the 116,172 ballots cast voted in favor of the amendment. If Amendment 4 had been in place in 2018, the amendment that gave ex-felons the right to vote would have to pass again in 2020. Those looking to get measures on the ballot in 2022 have taken notice of Amendment 4. Nick Hansen, the chairman of Make It Legal Florida, is working to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2022 that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for anyone over the age of 21. He said Amendment 4 is significant overkill, because the current process already requires arduous steps before an amendment even makes it onto the ballot, like obtaining over 750,000 signatures. “I simply cannot wrap my head around a six-year campaign to amend our constitution,” Hansen said. Amendment 5
Amendment 5 proposes to extend the deadline to transfer portability from the homestead exemption from a previous home to a new home. The homestead exemption is how Florida homeowners can cap their home’s assessed value, the value of a home used for tax purposes, to increase, at most, 3% per year. Portability is the difference between a home’s assessed value with the exemption and the market value per year. The state allows homeowners to transfer portability to a new home within two years, and the amendment proposes extending that window to three. To be eligible for Florida’s homestead exemption, a homeowner must both own and permanently reside in the home. Permanent resident eligibility is done on a per-case basis, said Jeff Boyd, the Alachua County Property Appraiser public information coordinator. Passing the amendment could allow Alachua County residents to pay less in property taxes when buying a new home, Boyd said. Being able to move portability to a new home allows for the new homeowner to low-
er the home’s assessed value, which in turn leads to lower property taxes. Extending the deadline for an extra year will reduce local tax receipts, according to a budget analysis done by the Revenue Estimating Conference. If passed, the amendment would lower local property taxes by $1.8 million next year, eventually growing to an annual reduction of $10.2 million. Amendment 6
Amendment 6 proposes allowing a homestead property tax discount to be transferred to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran. Sam Killebrew, a Florida State representative, is sponsoring the amendment. Killebrew said veterans who are 65 or older and became permanently disabled during combat currently have a discount on their homestead property tax in proportion to the amount of disability payment they receive. However, when a veteran dies, their spouse cannot continue taking the discount. If passed, Amendment 6 would change that. “The minute I read it to three committees and the house floor, there were no questions, and it was a 100% yay,” Killebrew said. “There was no negative vote on it.” Florida has a large veteran population with about 1.5 million veterans currently residing in the state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Killebrew said the discount the veterans and spouses get depends on tax and millage rates, which are about $1 for every $1000 spent in home value for each county. Some Florida statutes allow spouses to obtain a partial discount from their spouse, but there was nothing specific to combat veterans, Killebrew said. It’s why he felt the amendment was necessary. Lynn Frazier, President of the League of Women Voters of Alachua County, said the league does not support Amendments 5 or 6. The league opposes Amendment 5 because it adds tax laws into the constitution, which could become difficult to change in emergency situations, such as pandemics. The Alachua County Democratic Party endorsed the amendment in its voting guide. A Florida House bill analysis said Amendment 6 would cost local governments about $4 million annually if fully enacted, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Frazier said the consequences of Amendment 6 could be decreased funding for schools and other community projects and funding. Killebrew said the lost revenue is only an estimate, and at the worst case each county and city in Florida could lose $8,368 a year in taxes. He said he thinks that money is better off staying with the widowed spouse.
@swalker_7 @anna_wilderr swalker@alligator.org awilder@alligator.org
El Caimán
LUNES, 19 DE OCTUBRE DE 2020 www.alligator.org/spanish
¡SALUDOS!
Estudiantes latinos de UF hablan sobre la importancia de votar AUNQUE LA COMUNIDAD LATINA ES EL BLOQUE DE VOTANTES ETNICO MÁS GRANDE, AÚN EXISTEN PROBLEMAS PARA LOGRAR QUE LOS JÓVENES LATINOS ACUDAN A LAS URNAS.
Por Arlette Garcia Escritora de El Caimán
Viviana Moreno cree que cuando la comunidad latina ejerce su derecho al voto, se genera una ola de acción monumental. Moreno, una estudiante latina de UF, será parte de los 32 millones de votantes hispanos que serán elegibles para votar en las próximas elecciones presidenciales. De estos 32 millones de votantes, más del 40% tendrá entre 18 y 30 años. Los votantes latinos no solo se convertirán en el grupo étnico más grande del electorado, sino que también se convertirán en uno de los grupos étnicos más jóvenes. La estudiante de periodismo de 21 años dijo que siente un deseo fuerte por votar debido al poder que tiene su voto en este momento. “Creo que existe esta mentalidad de que el voto individual no cuenta, especialmente en las comunidades marginadas”, explicó Moreno. Por esta misma razón, Moreno cree en la importancia de la representación de estas comunidades dentro de las elecciones. Moreno siente que los jóvenes latinos están usando las redes sociales para superar este problema y abogar por la importancia de votar. Ella se ha sentido inspirada por las historias que otras personas latinas comparten en línea y cómo motivan a otros jóvenes para votar. “Estamos aquí y nuestras voces son fuertes e importantes. Cuando uso las redes sociales, siento que me llena de orgullo y esperanza al ver las publicaciones de información para los votantes”, dijo Moreno. A pesar de esta creciente promoción e interés en línea, todavía existen problemas para
lograr que los jóvenes latinos acudan a las urnas. La comunidad latina es el bloque de votantes más grande detrás de los votantes blancos, pero quedan cortos frente a otros grupos étnicos en la participación electoral, según el Centro de Investigación Pew. Los jóvenes latinos, como Velqui PérezTomas, se han unido a organizaciones para resolver este problema de falta de participación juvenil latina. Pérez-Tomas es una estudiante de Estudios Internacionales y Ciencias Políticas y actualmente trabaja como coordinadora en prácticas del Grupo de Investigación de Interés Público de Florida, también conocido por sus siglas en inglés, FLPIRG. Esta organización no partidista tiene como objetivo promover el voto joven a través de brindar información sobre el proceso de votación. Pérez-Tomas explicó que su participación en el grupo comenzó por el deseo de estar activa durante el semestre de otoño, pero también por lo impactante que cree que serán las elecciones presidenciales. “Es una elección histórica por lo que está sucediendo en el país en este momento. Sentí que era muy importante para mí tener una parte de esa acción”, explicó Pérez-Tomas. La estudiante de tercer año de UF ha participado en una gran variedad de programas con FLPIRG que incluyen campañas de registro de votantes, bancos telefónicos, campañas de voto por correo y campañas de recursos. A pesar del éxito del grupo al registrar a más de 900 estudiantes antes de la fecha límite de registración, Perez-Tomas afirma que todavía existe el obstáculo de la falta de interés entre los jóvenes votantes latinos. "Según mi experiencia, los jóvenes latinos no terminan votando porque tienen la impresión de que votar no les servirá de nada o no les servirá de mucho", explicó Pérez-Tomas. Ella cree que esta falta de entusiasmo se debe en parte a la falta de recursos dirigidos a los jóvenes latinos durante su tiempo en la escuela secundaria.
“Muchas escuelas secundarias no tienen los recursos para expandirse mucho en este tema. Creo que eso tiene un gran impacto. Los jóvenes no saben por qué es importante votar o no ven cuán vital es votar en una elección”, dijo Pérez-Tomas. A través de su trabajo en FLPIRG, espera abordar este obstáculo dentro de su comunidad facilitando campañas que alienten a los votantes latinos jóvenes a tener un plan de acción cuando llegue el momento de votar. Pérez-Tomas declaró que estaría activa dentro de los chats de grupos hispanos en UF para compartir estos recursos y sitios web que motivan a los jóvenes latinos no solo a registrarse, sino también a ejercer su derecho al voto. Dahlia Fabregat ha utilizado recursos similares a los que promueve Pérez-Tomas para formular una mejor comprensión sobre las próximas elecciones. Ella habló sobre el proceso de aprender a enviar su boleta por correo
y conocer las plataformas de los candidatos a través de recursos en línea. La estudiante de primer año de educación primaria votará en una elección presidencial por primera vez en noviembre. Sin embargo, mencionó que algunas de las personas que la rodean no están tan motivadas como ella para votar. “No es que no quisieran votar, pero es como si no sintieran la urgencia de hacerlo”, explicó Fabregat. Ella cree que votar es un privilegio que los jóvenes latinos deben usar para ayudar a aquellos que están subrepresentados. “La votación no soluciona todos los problemas y solo comienza a solucionar algunos de ellos, pero es un paso que puedes dar y debes dar”, afirmó Fabregat. @arlettengarcia agarcia@alligator.org
Aubrey Bocalan // Diseñadora de The Alligator
TRADUCCIÓN
Votando desde casa: como llenar una boleta de voto por correo UNA GUÍA PARA GARANTIZAR QUE SE RECIBA Y SE CUENTE UNA BOLETA POR CORREO EN EL CONDADO DE ALACHUA
Por Alan Halaly Escritor de The Alligator
Los votantes de Alachua County podrían estar considerando votar por correo este año a la luz de las posibilidades de contraer COVID-19 al votar en persona. La oficina del supervisor de las elecciones, o SOE por su sigla en inglés, del condado de Alachua anunció que mas de 31,000 boletas de voto por correa han sido contadas desde el 16 de octubre.
Los votantes deben renovar una solicitud de boleta de voto por correo cada dos años, según estatutos estatales. Boletas de voto por correo pueden ser solicitadas en la página web del supervisor de las elecciones del condado hasta el 24 de octubre. Se pueden demorar entre 5 y 6 días en llegar y también se pueden recoger en la oficina del SOE, ubicada en 515 Main St., mostrando una tarjeta de identificación que contenga su imagen y firma. La boleta llegará con instrucciones para llenarla. Los óvalos al lado de los nombres de los candidatos se deben rellenar completamente. Si un votante se equivoca, debe solicitar una nueva boleta. El siguiente paso es sellar la boleta en el sobre de envío provisto y firmar el cer-
Mantente al día con El Caimán en Twitter. Envíanos un tweet @_ElCaiman_.
tificado de votante al lado del sobre. Los votantes deben usar la misma firma de su identificación emitida por el gobierno para evitar que la oficina del supervisor de elecciones anule la boleta. A pesar de que es opcional, se recomienda incluir la funda secreta, otro sobre para proteger la integridad de la boleta. Las boletas de voto por correo se deben recibir antes de las 7 p.m. el 3 de noviembre, así que los votantes deben mandarlas lo antes posible. Aunque muchos votantes las mandarán por correo, también hay otras opciones. Las balotas se pueden dejar en la oficina del supervisor de elecciones antes del día de las elecciones. Algunos buzones estarán ubicados al exterior de ubicaciones de votación anticipada hasta el 31 de agosto
de 9 a.m. a 6 p.m. Después de que la balota se ha mandado o dejado en la oficina del supervisor de elecciones, se puede hacer un seguimiento de su estatus. Es la forma más precisa de asegurar que su balota se reciba y sea contada. Se puede llamar a la oficina del Supervisor de Elecciones del condado de Alachua al (352) 374-5252 de lunes a viernes de 8:30 a.m. a 5 p.m. Los residentes hispanohablantes pueden llamar gratis al (833)-875-0365. Mas información sobre el voto por correo puede obtenerse enviando un correo electrónico a votebymail@alachuacounty.us.
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 www.alligator.org/opinions
Editorial
Don’t throw away your vote by voting for a third party
T
he stakes have never been higher this election season, yet many people will ultimately cast a vote for a candidate who will never win, and they know it. Look, we all get it. Our current electoral system is far from ideal. We harbor immense disdain for the antiquated electoral college and the two-party system we are stuck with. Rank-choice voting is neat, but it is not the status quo. In our current system, a vote for a third party candidate is a vote that is thrown away. A third party candidate will not win, and if you think or vote as if they will, then you’re either dreaming or don’t care about the people who won’t live to see the next election. You may be voting for the candidate that perfectly aligns with your values, but if they don’t win, then what good did your vote do? What happens if you end up with a candidate that you actually like less than one who could have won with your vote? As noted by The New York Times, Republicans have repeatedly attempted to take advantage of third party candidates such as those from the Green Party and now, Kanye West, in order to divert votes away from Democratic candidates. It’s a sleazy tactic that takes advantage of people who are voting purely off of principle without concern for political realities. Voting isn’t marriage, it’s taking the bus. You take the bus that gets you where you need to go. You don’t have to love the bus. You won’t be on the bus for the rest of your life. It may not be the bus you wanted, but it sure beats having to walk 20 blocks because the bus you wanted didn’t have the gas to get you where you wanted to go. Elections have consequences, and if you are to waste your vote on a matter of pure principle, then you certainly cannot complain when you are unhappy with the result.
The Editorial Board is made up of the Editor-in-Chief, Digital Managing Editor, Engagement Managing Editor, News Managing Editor and Opinions Editor.
Editorial
Election recommendations from The Alligator Editorial Board
T
he Alligator devotes itself to serving the UF and greater Gainesville communities. For that reason, we are releasing endorsements for candidates and amendments that will appear on the local ballot as well as our recommendation for the top of the ticket in an immensely consequential presidential election. All we ask is that you vote. President: Joe Biden/Donald Trump
This election is about the present and the future of America. Joe Biden is not the future of our country. But another four years of Donald Trump will make our future more bleak than the past four years have been. We are not great again. That commercialized slogan was the first of many lies that emboldened racists, left hundreds of thousands of Americans dead and made us the laughing stock of the world. Four more years will not make us great again, either. It will undoubtedly make us worse. It will take more than another presidential term to undo the damage that Trump has done. Biden’s presidency will be a step in the right direction as opposed to continued steps back. Biden is an imperfect candidate and we have plenty of differing views with him on many issues. However, no perfect candidates ever exist in politics. We have the choice between a typical politician or a misogynistic racist facing more than 25 sexual assault accusations who can’t stop attacking the military, initially refused to condemn white supremacy and decimated the credibility of the office he holds with his countless lies. Four years ago, we certainly didn’t have two perfect candidates to pick between. People went to the polls and voted for the reality show candidate and we got a reality show president and, in turn, a reality show country. The term “presidential” used to have a positive connotation. It implied dignity, grace and confidence. We can certainly say Trump isn’t lacking in ego, but we also wouldn’t describe someone who regularly hate-tweets other politicians, celebrities and civilians at 2 a.m. as graceful or dignified. Public health and access to healthcare are of the utmost importance to millions of Americans, especially right now. Biden will keep and reinforce the Affordable Care Act, which he fought for with former President Barack Obama, and better yet, he will listen to experts and science as we adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic and barrel toward a vaccine and, hopefully, a semblance of normalcy. This isn’t a glowing endorsement of Biden, but it’s our strongest indictment of Trump the person and Trump the president. Let’s demote 45 back to Trump the person, where he’s capable of inflicting far less damage on our democracy. Florida’s Third Congressional District: Adam Christensen/Kat Cammack
Voting for Christensen, a fresh new face, is the way to go if you are the type of person who doesn’t like career politicians and wants to “drain the swamp.” Cammack seems to be your typical candidate from the other side of the aisle, though the lack of endorsement from her former boss Ted Yoho and mysteries surrounding her demotion as Yoho’s chief of staff don’t quite pass the sniff test. Florida House of Representatives District 21: Kayser Enneking/Chuck Clemons
Alachua County Commission District 3: Joy Glanzer/Anna Prizzia
We have warm opinions of both candidates, who share several similar beliefs. However, Glanzer has more experience in government and thus has a longer track record of getting things done. We appreciate her support for a living wage and her idea to connect those addicted to drugs to treatment instead of jail time. Amendment 1: No
This amendment doesn’t do anything. The millions of dollars spent pumping up this useless amendment would have been better spent actually improving our elections process. Amendment 2: Yes
Championed by a UF alumnus, this amendment is a step toward helping everyone earn a living wage. People working more than 40 hours a week shouldn’t struggle to make ends meet. Any business model that doesn’t decently pay workers deserves to be discarded. Amendment 3: No
Democrats and Republicans actually agree for once: This amendment is a terrible idea. These are not the true open primaries we are looking for — rather, a messier version called “jungle primaries” that could result in general elections being decided between two people from the same party. That’s not good for democracy. Amendment 4: No
Sure, there’s some odd stuff in our constitution, but this amendment only makes it a more expensive and lengthier process to amend our constitution in the future. If you don’t want something in our constitution, just don’t vote for it the first time around. We recommend you do so for this amendment. Amendment 5: Yes
We support this tax amendment because it allows for greater access to the homestead tax exemption. We think the overall costs diffused throughout the state will ultimately be negligible in the long term or would otherwise be at a level that could be offset by cutting down on government waste. Amendment 6: Yes
Like the above amendment, this one expands access to the homestead tax exemption, though to a more specific group of people, spouses of deceased veterans. It is a little difficult to vote against anything benefiting spouses of deceased veterans, so we recommend you vote for this small benefit for them. Just don’t forget to write to your legislators and hold them accountable in making sure our veterans get the proper treatment before they pass away. One Mill: Yes
We support this amendment because it supports the quality of our local education system. Providing continued funding to public educational institutions is of paramount importance, especially with the added hurdles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendment has been approved every year since 2008. Let’s fund our future.
If you care about public health and science, Enneking is the candidate to vote for given the moment and for the long term. Clemons’ antiquated stance on issues such as marijuana legalization and gun safety make us wish for someone with the guts to challenge the status quo. The lawsuit against him for blocking people on social media doesn’t make him any more fit to serve in our eyes.
County charter amendments concerning growth management, natural resources, racial and gender bias, an affordable housing trust fund, treasurer reports and unconstitutional provisions: Yes
Alachua County Commission District 1: Mary Alford/Raemi Eagle-Glenn
A hodgepodge of tweaks of various sizes to your local government, these amendments all deserve a “yes” vote. Two amendments worth highlighting include the amendment that aims to crack down on racial and gender biases within county policies and the amendment that establishes an affordable housing trust fund, which would help balance out the bland, overpriced, low quality, luxury apartment complexes flooding our area.
With a responsible stance on COVID-19 policies and noble ideas such as moving toward a bail-free system, Alford has earned our vote. Eagle-Glenn’s recent unsuccessful anti-mask lawsuit against the county and reluctance for future pandemic mitigation measures make her unideal for leadership as we approach a “third wave” of COVID-19 cases. Alford has the experience and right priorities we need now and beyond the pandemic.
City charter amendments concerning the city clerk, paved surfaces, utility systems and a charter preamble: Yes
The Alligator encourages letters and columns from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 250 words. Columns should not exceed 750 words. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to fact-check and edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters and columns to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW 13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257. Editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.
18 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020
More than 150 masked protesters rally in Gainesville Women’s March THE PROTEST ECHOED NATIONAL WOMEN’S MARCH RALLIES HONORING THE LEGACY OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBERG
By Alan Halaly and Sofia Echeverry Alligator Staff Writers
“May her memory be a revolution,” stated on one sign. “Men of quality do not fear equality,” another stated, held by a man in the crowd, protesting to support the women in his life. More than 150 masked protesters marched down Main Street and University Avenue from Depot Park to Bo Diddley Plaza Saturday morning during the Gainesville Women’s March. The event, organized by Larah Doyle, a 30-year-old academic advisor at the UF Warrington College of Business, was intended to be a peaceful protest against attacks from the Trump administration on the rights of all women — including transgender women and women of color. “They don’t listen when we ask, they don’t listen when we demand, they don’t listen when we have protests or rallies or marches,” Doyle said. “But this march is not for them. It is for us to listen to one another; to encourage one another.” Protesters were asked by organizers to keep masks on at all times, and crowds kept to this rule, sporting eye-catching masks with messages written on them like “Vote” and “Together we rise.” The social distancing rule of maintaining a six feet distance was mostly followed when marchers arrived at Bo Diddley Plaza as speakers from the community took the stage to galvanize the crowd. This protest follows a chain of similar demonstrations dating back to 2017, when the inauguration of President Donald Trump sparked Women’s March protests around the globe, including the march in
Washington D.C., the most well-attended day-long protest in U.S. history. Women’s March protests around the U.S. were held Saturday to honor the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and to protest the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Gainesville’s protest echoed this sentiment. Amanda Foreman, a 19-year-old UF animal sciences sophomore, held a sign that read “My SCOTUS knows my 1st Amendment Rights! #ForRuth,” in reference to Barrett forgetting to name the right to protest when asked to list First Amendment rights during her Senate confirmation hearing last week. “I don’t know if I can stand another four years,” she said. “My reproductive rights, my rights as a woman, and just the overall representation of women in American society are at stake.” In Florida, abortions are legal. However, in September, restrictions were put in place such as the requirement to notify the parent of a minor and for women to have an ultrasound. The Trump administration has historically been anti-abortion. It tried to repeal an FDA restriction on medication for early abortion in Sept. 2020. Protesters left Depot Park holding sunflowers as Melissa Muller, the 30-year-old manager of Swallowtail Farms, distributed her freshly-cut extras. Swallowtail Farms grows sustainable food and flowers in the City of Alachua. Muller was just planning to hand out flowers to passersby, but when she found out about the march, she said it seemed like fate. In 2017, she and other Swallowtail farmers travelled to Washington D.C. to attend the Women’s March. “It was ethereal...” Muller said. “It was the most amazing thing to be with all these like-minded people.” Stevie VanAusdale, a 31-year-old UF doctoral student with a focus in counselor education and supervision and therapist at
Alan Halaly // Alligator Staff
Protesters are seen holding signs with messages such as “Just Biden my time! Kama-long with me!” and “I am tired of still marching!” during the Gainesville Women’s March, which started down Main Street and University Avenue from Depot Park to Bo Diddley Plaza on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. the UF Counseling and Wellness Center, brought her two daughters, two-year-old Aria and one-year-old Maya whose shirts read “Tiny Changemaker”. The two sisters shared a miniature sign that featured a notable quote from Kamala Harris at the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate: “I’m speaking.” VanAusdale emphasized the importance of putting mental health first, but acknowledged the challenges associated with doing so as the rights of minorities are continually under attack by politicians and policymakers. On stage, she shared her experience as a mother with postpartum anxiety. “In these last two years becoming a mother of two, one through adoption and one through birth, it has opened my eyes to the lack of care for women that have had children,” she said. “We are expected to be the emotional support for our family and
our loved ones — that’s a heavy weight and a huge responsibility.” Karen Bethel, a 51-year-old Alachua County Public School administrator, spoke to the crowd about systemic racism and sexism in the Alachua County Public School system. She mentioned Alachua County’s high achievement gap between white students and students of color, and called to the crowd to help uplift young women and children of color in education. “I love what I do,” she said. “I love the school board that I work for. But Houston, we have some problems.”
@AlanHalaly @sofecheverry ahalaly@alligator.org secheverry@alligator.org
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SPECIAL EDITION MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 ALLIGATOR
Thousands gather in Ocala for a Donald Trump campaign rally NO SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS FOLLOWED AND FEW MASKS WERE WORN By Anna Wilder and Steven Walker Alligator Staff Writers
OCALA, Fla. — As Air Force One landed on the runway, “Macho Man” by Village People blasted through the speakers. President Donald Trump arrived. Masks were rare in the crowd of thousands who Trump spoke to at Ocala International Airport on Friday afternoon. The president’s campaign has focused heavily on Florida in the last month. Trump jumped from topic to topic throughout his hour and a half-long speech, touching on fake news, his polling in Florida, “corrupt” Joe Biden, China, energy independence and his stances on abortion and the Second Amendment. “If Biden wins, the radical left will be running this country,” Trump said. “They’re addicted to power, and God help us if they ever get it.” Florida has nearly 750,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Oct. 17. Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted COVID-19 restrictions on bars and restaurants on Sept. 25. The rally itself had no mask mandate and no social distancing. On Oct. 2, the president tested positive for COVID-19. Trump has since tested negative multiple times, according to his doctor. He was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Oct. 5. Trump spoke at a rally in Sanford on Monday, and Vice President Mike Pence hosted an event in The Villages two days earlier. Trump also participated in a town hall event on NBC Thursday night in Miami, where he fielded questions from potential voters. Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, was scheduled to speak at a gun store in
Gainesville on Oct. 5 until the president tested positive for COVID-19. The crowd huddled together on bleachers and seats set up close together surrounding the stage. As Trump’s staff tested the microphones on stage, the crowd booed and jeered at the press, chanting “four more years” and “CNN sucks.” “It’s the enemy of the people, our media is the enemy of the people,” Trump said. “It’s very, very dangerous what they do.” During the speech, the crowd cheered when the president mentioned confirming Supreme Court Justice nominee Amy Coney Barrett. “What a breath of fresh air, right? She’s fantastic,” Trump said. “You know, you’re not allowed to discriminate, I do like smart people on the Supreme Court.” Pat McBride, a 61-year-old printing and embroidery business owner and UF alumnus, stood outside of the airport selling masks, t-shirts, cups and more emblazoned with “MAGA.” Thousands of people streamed by his tent as they entered the venue. By the end of the event, he had almost sold out of some items in his inventory. “It’s just so awesome to feel the energy watching everybody walk by, and this county is a big supporter of him,” McBride said. “And it’s gonna be a close election.” Trump trails Biden by about four points in Florida, according to polling averages from FiveThirtyEight. Biden leads the president by about 11 points on average nationally. Waiting in line to get into the event was Dennis Kulonda, a 77-year-old from Leesburg, a town just outside of The Villages. Kulonda did not have a mask on and said he wasn’t worried about COVID-19. He said he loved the atmosphere and number of people he saw at the rally. “It’s a testimonial to the not only popularity but the capability of Mr. Trump,” he said. Before the president took the stage, Re-
publican congressional nominee Kat Cammack, who is running to replace Ted Yoho in Florida’s 3rd Congressional district, spoke. Gov. Ron DeSantis also spoke before the president took the stage. Governor Ron DeSantis talked about the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett and the potential responses to it from Democrats. “Answer the question, Joe,” DeSantis said, referring to what he characterized as Biden’s reluctance to answer if he will add justices to the Supreme Court. Outside of the venue, only a small group of about five protesters gathered briefly, holding Biden signs. Inside the venue, tents offered snacks, water and cooling fan stations. Misting fans spritzed cold water onto sweaty attendees. People huddled close together inside the tents and throughout the rest of the venue, ignoring social distancing guidelines. The City of Ocala passed a mandate in August requiring facial coverings in indoor spaces. Because the rally was outside, that mandate did not apply. David Hammar, a 61-year-old attendee, stood in the cold water vapor after four hours of waiting for the event to begin in the sunny, 84-degree weather. He wasn’t wearing a mask but said he was not worried about COVID-19 because the event was outside and it was breezy. Stuart Sawyer, a teacher from Ocala, wore a Superman-esque suit with a “T” on the chest, a fake tan and a blonde wig. He called himself “MAGA Man” or “Super Trump” and said the president was just like a superhero. “He’s fighting for all of America,” Sawyer said. “In fact, I think he is one of the greatest presidents the United States has ever had.” Trump noticed Sawyer in the crowd and pointed him out. The president called Sawyer’s costume great and thanked him for coming. People swarmed him afterward, eager to
get a picture of the man lauded by the president. “My heart is so full right now,” Sawyer said to his fans after the event. Turning Point USA at UF, a conservative student organization, sent a group of students to the event. Carter Mermer, a 21-year-old UF business administration senior and the organization’s president, said he couldn’t even tell the president just had COVID-19. “I was just impressed with how he just had coronavirus and he was sick,” Mermer said. “You wouldn’t be able to tell that he just got out of the hospital.” Standing in the middle of the crowd, maskless, 51-year-old Ocala resident Frank Thomas observed the rally. As a Black man, Thomas said he supports Trump because he’s a “true American.” He said he often hears the stereotype that Republicans are racist, but he doesn’t agree. “I’ve been here around thousands and thousands of white people and I don’t see any racists,” Thomas said. Three generations of Victoria Hickman’s family came out to support Trump. She was there with her 15-year-old daughter, Ryleigh, and her mother, Terry Martin. Being together at the event was a dream come true. Ryleigh said it was “pretty awesome” to come together as a family and show support for the same things. She said she saw a decent amount of people from her school, Forest High School in Ocala, and appreciated their similar views. Terry Martin said she loves Trump and wanted to be there to support him. “I want him to know that he has all of us on his side,” Martin said. “We’ve got his back.”
President Donald Trump is seen pointing his finger at the crowd during his campaign rally at the Ocala International Airport on Oct. 16, 2020.
@swalker_7 @anna_wilderr swalker@alligator.org awilder@alligator.org
Zachariah Chou // Alligator Staff
ALLIGATOR  MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 SPECIAL EDITION
Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff
Ina Fritsch (left) and Kristin Rubin (right) open and count ballots in the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020.
Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff
Terry Roberts is seen organizing and counting ballots in the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020.