Gov. Rick Scott recently signed into law a bill that will introduce online voter registration in Florida effective in 2017.
On Monday, the League of Women Voters of The Villages/Tri-County Area heard from Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox who discussed the timely topic.
Wilcox had been assistant supervisor of elections for seven years before his election to supervisor in 2012, so he brings years of experience to the office.
“I love the election process,” Wilcox said. ” I truly enjoy it. There are 66 supervisors of election in Florida.”
“People assume my office gets fairly political — but nothing could be farther from the truth. Our goal is to be a source of reference about the election process — and only the process . My opinions about issues or candidates, if any, are irrelevant — and I am one of the least political people you will find. My staff and I are here strictly to make sure people all have equal access to the election process, “ Wilcox assured the audience.
Wilcox is firmly in favor of online registration, because he views it as efficient and fast, and sees myriad future benefits from automated data bases — for maintaining better records in individual Florida counties, at the state level and across the nation.
“My bachelor’s degree is in computer science,” Wilcox said. “So I speak GEEK. I may not be as adept with today’s social media as I was with computer programming — but I have confidence online voter registration is a positive development.”
Addressing citizen concerns that online registration might contribute to voter fraud, Wilcox cited 20 U.S. states who have online registration systems in place.
“There is yet to be a single case of fraudulent activity reported,” Wilcox said. “Online voter registration does not contribute to voter fraud.”
People who are already registered won’t have to take any action when the online registration system is implemented — unless they change their address or other pertinent data — or to report the death of a family member. Many new Florida residents register to vote at the same time they get their Florida driver’s licenses.
“Sixteen-year-olds who get their driver’s licenses can also pre-register for voting when they become eighteen,” Wilcox said.
Voter registration data bases will cross match citizens’ signatures from their driver’s licenses. “Surprisingly, senior citizens’ handwriting doesn’t change as much as young peoples’ signatures do. In high school, youngsters may embellish their signatures with smiley faces, flowers or flourishes,”Wilcox said with a smile,”and when they go off to college or to work, their signatures often eliminate those self-expressions.”
Wilcox would like to see the melding of electronic voter registration information with the Highway Safety database, and the ERIC database used by schools and libraries.
“Most County Supervisors of Election are in favor of joining ERIC, but our secretary of state in Tallahassee opposed it,” he said.
Wilcox views ERIC as a way to eliminate duplication of registrations, and a way to identify snowbirds and other citizens who might register to vote in two counties or two states.
The website for Florida elections is myfloridaelections.org.
The League of Women Voters will furlough their monthly meetings for the summer (June, July and August) and will resume on Sept.28. The group’s director is Beth Hicks, and their vice president is Richard Coen. To contact the League: lwvtri.org or [email protected].