Related: Miami recommendations
Related: Palm Beach County recommendations
Senator: Bill Nelson
District 20: Alcee Hastings
District 22: Ted Deutch
District 23: Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Governor: Andrew D. Gillum/Chris King
Attorney General: Sean Michael Shaw
Chief Financial Officer: Jeremy Ring
Commissioner of Agriculture: Nikki Fried
State Senator (D34): Gary Farmer, Jr.
State House (D93): Emma Collum
State House (D98): Michael Gottlieb
State House (D103): Cindy Polo
State House (D105): Javier Estevez
County Commission (D2): Mark Bogen
County Commission (D4): Lamar Fisher
JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT
Retain Justice Alan Lawson YES
FOURTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
Retain Judge Burton Conner YES
Retain Judge Jeffrey Kuntz YES
Retain Judge Carole Taylor YES
CIRCUIT JUDGE
Group 38: Stefanie Moon
Group 46: Tanner Channing Demmery
COUNTY COURT
Group 19: Jackie Powell
SCHOOL BOARD
District 1: Jim Silvernale
Broward Soil & Water Conservation
District 2 Richard Leys
FL CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS (Must pass by 60% statewide vote to be ratified)
YES on 3, 4, 9, 13
NO on others
#1: Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption – Increases the amount of a home’s value exempted from property tax (Will force local governments to cut public services or raise local taxes)………………………………………NO
#2: Limitations on Property Tax Assessments – Makes the cap on non-homestead (2nd homes and commercial) property assessment increases permanent (Will continue to limit resources available for public services; Three South Florida property appraisers support the amendment and say a Yes vote will avert a sudden and largely unexpected tax crisis for more than 530,000 residential and business property owners in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties)……………………….YES
#3 – Voter Control of Gambling in Florida – Requires voter approval of casino gambling (Removes authority to expand gambling from the legislature and returns it to voters)……………. YES
#4 – Voting Restoration Amendment – Restores right to vote for most people with felony convictions upon completion of sentences (Gives 1.5 million Floridians the right to vote after paying their debt to society)…………………………………..YES
#5 – Vote Required to Impose, Authorize, or Raise State Taxes or Fees – Requires 2/3 vote of legislature to impose or increase tax or fee (Will tie the hands of future legislatures making it nearly impossible to address budget needs, such as teacher raises and natural catastrophes)………..NO
#6 – Rights of Crime Victims; Judges (multiple questions) – Adds a Marsy’s Law (victims’ rights) to state constitution, increases judicial retirement age; prohibits judges from deferring to admin agencies to interpret law (Victims’ rights already protected in the Constitution; Eliminates an existing provision that protects the constitutional rights of the accused)………………………………………………………..NO
#7 – First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits; Public Colleges and Universities – Requires death benefits for first responders and military members, a supermajority vote for college fees, and adds state college system structure to constitution (3/4 majority vote to increase fees makes it very difficult to meet university needs) …………………………………………………………………………………..NO
#9 – Prohibits Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibits Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces – Bans offshore oil and gas drilling and vaping in enclosed indoor workplaces (Concern for the environment overrides concern about putting vaping in the Constitution.)…………………………………………………YES
#10 – State and Local Government Structure and Operation – Prohibits counties from abolishing certain local offices, changes start date of legislative sessions, and adds an executive office and executive department to constitution (Takes away control granted to charter counties limiting ability to respond to local conditions) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….NO
#11 – Property Rights; Removal of Obsolete Provision; Criminal Statutes – Repeals some obsolete language; repeals a provision saying that changes to a criminal statute are not retroactive (Impact of criminal statute portion is unclear and disputed. Other repealed provisions are already unenforceable or expired) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….NO
#12 – Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers – Prohibits public officials from lobbying for compensation while in office and 6 years thereafter (Applied too broadly at local level; will not solve problems of money and influence in politics) …………………………………………………………………………….NO
#13 – Ends Dog Racing
Prohibits betting on dog races (Ends legal wagering on inhumane dog racing)……………………………YES
COUNTY REFERENDA
Broward voters will decide 11 county charter questions on the Nov. 6 ballot. These amendments have been proposed by the county’s Charter Review Commission, which meets about once a decade to recommend revisions to the county’s governing document. The 19-member committee met for two years to come up with the items to place before voters.
#1: Funding for Countywide Transportation System Improvements thru Levy of Surtax……YES
(the penny sales tax will be used to improve Broward county’s transit and transportation system)
#2: Standards for Establishing County Commission Districts…………………………..NO
(this is unnecessary as it is in the state constitution)
#3: Redistricting Procedures for County Commission Districts………………………..NO
(Not sure this really provides a solution to the redistricting issues; but a YES is okay as it can be seen as a good potential first step)
#4 : Broward County Affordable Housing Trust Fund……………………………………………YES
(This will establish an affordable housing trust fund. Broward County has one of the most severe needs for affordable housing in the state; the key will be ensuring that the money willl be used as planned)
#5: Broward County Office of Inspector General’s Discretion to Commence an Investigation….. NO
(no need to expand IG role)
#6: Broward County Planning Council Revisions to Zoning Glossary and Public Hearings…… YES
(The clean up language is fine. The Commission is sufficiently aware of the issues at one public hearing)
#7: Central Examining Boards Appointment of Alternate Members………………YES
(the CEBs are currently unable to be filled)
#8: Board of Rules and Appeals Quorum Shall be the Majority of the Total Board Membership..YES
(allows the Board to do business when not all members have been appointed)
#9: Posting of Notices, Agenda and Backup Materials No Later Than 48 Hours Prior to Meeting.…..NO
(not necessary in Charter. The sunshine law already governs this situation. Potential slowdown with getting items on agendas. This is also a highly reactive amendment because of one workshop the City of Fort Lauderdale held without good notice
#10: Composition of the Independent Board That Nominates the County Auditor……. YES
(We have not been able to get the listed position appointed)
#11: Compositon of the Broward County Inspector General Selection Oversight Committee…. YES
(We have not been able to get the listed position appointed)
#12: Housekeeping Amendment to Delet Ineffective or Unnecessary Language: Yes (these are all housekeeping matters to clean up the Broward County Charter)
BROWARD COUNTY MUNICIPAL (CITY) ELECTIONS
Coral Springs
Commissioners
Seat 2 Dan Daley
Seat 4 Joshua A Simmons
Cooper City
Commissioner
Seat 2 Lisa Conlong Dodge
Dania Beach
Commissioners
Lauren Odman
Tony Suriani
Davie
City Council
District 2 Caryl Hattan
District 3 Susan Starkey
Hallandale Beach
Special Mayor At-Large – Joy D. Adams
Commissioners
Seat 1 Steven Michael Carlo
Seat 2 Sabrina Javellana
Hollywood
Commissioners
District 1 Luis H. Prada
District 3 Traci Lynn Callari
District 5 Francisco Vargas
Vote YES on all Hollywood Referenda
Lauderhill
Commissioners
Seat 2 – Richard Campbell
NB: This is a closely contested seat between two capable candidates. Campbell and John Beckford. However, after painstaking analysis Campbell is recommended for his several years of service to the city, particularly his work with the city’s, particular in the field of sports.
Seat 4 Denise Grant
Lauderdale Lakes
Commissioners
Seat 1 Marilyn Davis
Seat 2 Beverly Williams
Margate
Commissioners
Seat 3 Renata Castro
Seat 5 Joanne Simone
North Lauderdale
Mayor At-Large Ana Ziade
Commissioners
District A Lorenzo Wood
District B Mario Bustamante
Oakland Park
Commissioners
Michael E. Cam
Jane F. Bolin
Parkland
Commissioners
Richard Walker
Plantation
Mayor Peter S. Tingom
City Council
Group 1 Erik Anderson
Group 2 Denise Horland
Group 5 Nick Sortal
Pompano Beach
Mayor Rex Hardin
Commissioners
District 1 John Geer
District 2 Thomas “Tom” Terwilliger
District 3 Michael S. Skversky
District 4 Edward “Ed” Phillips
District 5 Barry Moss
South West Ranches
Council Member
District 1 Bob Hartmann
Sunrise
ommissioner
Group C Jeff Holness
Group D Patrick JaBouin, Sr.
Tamarac
Mayor At-Large – Elvin Vilalobos
Commissioners
District 2 Mike Gelin
District 4 Debra Placko
Weston
Commissioner
Seat 4 Mary Molina-Macfie
West Park
Commissioners
Seat 1 Anthony Dorsett
Seat 2 Kristine Judeikis
Wilton Manors
Mayor
Justin Flippen
Commissioner
Gary Resnick
