name: Joe Scott
Date of birth, place of birth: April 22, 1982, Anchorage, Alaska
Campaign website: Joe Scott
Profession: Broward County Election Commissioner
education: West Point Military Academy, Bachelor of Science (2004), Villanova University, Executive MBA (2015)
15 years of work experience:
Broward County Election Officials as of 2021
Account Manager at Ricoh (2016-2020)
Entrepreneur 2014-2016
DaVita Acute Care Facility Manager 2013-2014
Service Manager at Cintas (2011-2013)
Quality Assurance Supervisor at Medco 2009-2011
Have you ever been arrested, charged, convicted, or had a case suspended or expunged? If yes, please explain.
no
Have you ever been a plaintiff or defendant in a civil action, including bankruptcy or foreclosure, or have a restraining order been issued against you? If so, please explain.
In my personal capacity, no. In my capacity as Superintendent of Elections, I came into office with several lawsuits on my hands. Like nearly every SOE office in the State of Florida, we have been involved in several lawsuits during my tenure. In all of the lawsuits that have been brought specifically against my office, we have never been found to have violated the law, and no judgment has ever been entered against the office since I have been an SOE.
Why are you running for this position and what makes you the best candidate?
I am running for a second term to continue the positive trajectory of this role. I am proud of the work I have done to improve our communications systems and simplify voter registration, early voting, and voting by mail. My passion for innovation and cybersecurity drives me, and I believe my plans for a second term will be just as transformative as the changes we have already made. I am the ideal candidate because I have 25 years of leadership experience, nine successful elections as an SOE, and earned the highest certification in the profession, a Certified Election and Registration Administrator (CERA), through an Auburn University-affiliated professional education program.
What additional steps are required to increase requests for mail-in ballots?
My office is implementing a comprehensive plan that includes a mass marketing campaign to inform citizens of the three voting options and help them choose the voting method that is best for them. The campaign will utilize broadcast and streaming television and radio ads, billboards, bus stops, and bus wraps. We are also notifying people who previously voted by mail but have not requested a Vote by Mail (VBM) ballot this election cycle. We are using email, text messages, and the USPS to remind them to submit a new Vote by Mail request this year. Our communication efforts are ongoing. For example, after we sent out the VBM for the primary election, we notified people who have not yet received it. We will do the same after we send out the VBM for the general election.
Should cities in Broward County be able to hold special city elections in months other than March or November? Why or why not?
Cities in Broward County can hold special elections at any time, but if they choose to hand over the administration to the elections commissioner’s office, it must be at the commissioner’s discretion. I am proud that my city holds its elections on the first Tuesday in November in even-numbered years to coincide with federal, state, and county elections. This method maximizes voter turnout and citizen participation while being fiscally responsible. This timing allows for greater voter participation with minimal impact on the budget, and I encourage citizens in cities that do not follow this method to ask their city commissioners why.
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