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Scott Backs Down On Plan To Rank Elections Officials
May 15, 2012
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has backed down from his plan to publish scores ranking the state’s elections officials. Scott administration scored Elections Supervisors after the January presidential primary on various performance measures, such as how quickly they reported results.
The charge against the rankings was led by Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford, acting on behalf of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections. A letter to the governor by Stafford said the measurements don’t accurately reflect how good the supervisors are at their jobs – and that the supervisors didn’t learn the purpose of the questions they were asked until the Division of Elections put out the results.
Stafford reminded Scott in a sharply-worded letter that the governor doesn’t actually have much control over the supervisors – they’re constitutional officers who are elected independently. And the measurements are flawed, he said.
“Unfortunately, the items used in the survey are not, by themselves, true indicators of a supervisor of elections’ office,” Stafford wrote. “Furthermore, the data is flawed in certain instances, thereby yielding a result which is inaccurate….”
Stafford said the survey – if used to produce a public ranking of each supervisor – “has the potential to undermine confidence in Florida’s elections, which we work tirelessly to instill in the public.
“As you are well aware,” Stafford wrote, “we are responsible for carrying out our duties and the citizens and voters in our counties are the persons best able to evaluate that performance.”
The rankings are hard to decipher, but include seven metrics, such as when results were first uploaded on election night, when early voting dates were announced and when absentee ballots were mailed. An eighth “extra credit” category was for returning the survey early.
The rankings went from 1 point for submitting a particular type of data early to negative 1 for submitting it late, and negative 2 for not submitting it at all. For submitting data “on time,” but not early, counties got a 0.
While no county supervisor got the maximum score of eight, several registered a seven. Several supervisors scored at each level all the way down to three counties that received scores of negative 4, the lowest recorded. Those were Brevard, Palm Beach, and Seminole counties.
While the scores made it out – the state sent them to supervisors and they were subsequently leaked. But Scott’s office now says they won’t be published.
In addition to the complaints from the supervisors, Democratic lawmakers also criticized Scott on the survey.
“Gov. Scott still hasn’t figured out that there are limits to his authority,” said Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg. “Florida’s elections supervisors deserve support from statewide officers and they shouldn’t have to succumb to meddling by the governor. I am confident that county elections supervisors are willing to participate in meaningful surveys, but I am sure they are opposed to the governor meddling in and undermining both their work and the confidence of voters.”
Comments
10 Responses to “Scott Backs Down On Plan To Rank Elections Officials”
REGARDING:
“ before speaking make sure that you are making a responsible comment.”
Nope, none of them are responsible comments.
After all, I’m a registered Democrat.
“ we got in this mess behind former President Bush (which by the way, took (8) years to get in) will take more than 1-4 years to get out.”
This statement assumes President Bush spent the entire 8 years trying to destroy the nation.
He didn’t.
He was often off on vacation.
“ You say that the taxes for the rich is what makes jobs“
Nope, I always say taxes should be high enough to pay expenses or expenses should be low enough to be paid for by taxes. I do say, however, that government looks at money from taxpayers and lenders other than how they look at their personal funds. FREE MONEY!!
Further, I believe money diverted from private hands to public use is money not used to improve private lives but rather political agendas.
“ Do the math Einstein.”
2 + 2 = 4
You are looking at pairs of events and deducing one caused the other.
Not good math.
“Bush: Raised taxes without Congress
Nope, lacks the authority.
“Went to War without Congress“
So why did Senator Clinton vote for it?
“The Republicans have held Congress for (2) years and have done nothing but filibuster everything”
Actually, they didn’t — many things were passed — and the Senate majority is Democratic.
“ the average Joe walk the street looking for employment“
Actually, the average Joe has a job.
(10% unemployment equals 90% employment. 90 > 10)
There are way more employed than seeking employment. There are just too many unemployed.
David for truth
while wishing President Obama the best
Although I don’t agree with a lot of the principals that Obama has. This one thing I will say to David mostly is before speaking make sure that you are making a responsible comment. The mere fact that we got in this mess behind former President Bush(which by the way, took (8) years to get in) will take more than 1-4 years to get out. I don’t stand behind Obama, but I have not seen anything that the Republican constituents have in place to make anyone see that they are the party to bring this country forward. You say that the taxes for the rich is what makes jobs, but we have been in this crap for 3 years and now I would like to ask “Where are the Jobs”. You have your small taxes, why can’t you produce the jobs.
Oh, right!!!! It is Obama fault. The truth of the matter is that after Clinton; balanced budget. After Bush; Depression. Do the math Einstein. Look at the track record of Bush: Raised taxes without Congress; Went to War without Congress. The Republicans have held Congress for (2) years and have done nothing but filerbuster everything and sat and complained while gaining much money, while the average Joe walk the street looking for employment. So even though I don’t agree with Obama, the one thing I can say is that at least he is trying which is much more than I can say about the Republicans.
James
Equal Oportunity for The Middle Class (The Real Americans)
Nonetheless, the President is to submit a budget to Congress. Even when we under-spent under President Clinton, he didn’t realize it until after the fact. Even then it only happened because social security taxes were included and because he was too distracted by impeachment proceedings to concentrate on spending money.
Further, no matter what the budget Congress finally passes — if it DOES, rather than just pass continuing resolutions for eleven months at a time, the President doesn’t have to spend more than is taken in. He might be impeached if he doesn’t, but impeachment means nothing as long as Congress doesn’t have the backbone to pass a budget where spending matches income in the first place.
If they can’t do one thing, they won’t do the other thing.
David to lady who thinks everybody
who disagrees watches FOX
so THAT’S why it was cloudy the other day
So smart but yet so ignorant!! Congress passes budget!!! Stop FOX and get some real truth in your news. You blame President Obama if the sun didn’t shine.
REGARDING:
“if you think Obama is the only President spending us into bankruptcy”
We DO only have one president at a time, therefore if it is being done, the current one is the one doing it. We can say he thought former presidents did such a wonderful job that he had to copy them, but then it would make little sense to blame everything on them if he followed in their footsteps.
David for fiscal responsibility
for a change
The gov needs to be worried about Florida voters are ranking him. His approval ratings have constantly ranked him among the least popular governors in the US. Republicans, democrats, and independents simply don’t like this man.
Frank if you think Obama is the only President spending us into bankruptcy you need to look at prior Presidents of the United States as well.
I am proud of the Govenor. Let OBAMA, “HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET BY LAW” see how popular he would be? ….BUT NO! ….he is spending us into bankrupcy.
You elect an idiot for governor and he acts like the idiot you elected.