PERSON OF INTEREST
PEO PLE
Duke Jackson Elections Support Director for Lake County Supervisor of Elections. INTERVIEWER: LEIGH NEELY
≈ PHOTO: NICOLE HAMEL
What does your job entail? My team and I maintain, prepare, deploy and recover all ballot scanners, supplies and election equipment, along with any logistical needs related to elections and the needs of other departments. What is the most important aspect of your work? Making absolutely sure that every piece of election equipment is functional and in place at the correct polling locations from Astor to Four Corners and from The Villages to the Wekiva River.
L V I TA AT S ST
• Has worked 21 years at this job in his hometown of Tavares.
• Carmen, his wife of 33 years, also works in the Supervisor of Elections office.
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What challenges you most about your work? Making sure that every piece of the puzzle (107
polling sites) is operational and ready for Election Day and Early Voting. This includes everything from paperclips and ink pens to ballots and tabulation equipment.
What do you enjoy most about working with voters? I take great pride in knowing that everyone who votes in Lake County during Early Voting and on Election Day, including voting by mail, can feel confident their ballot was tabulated accurately. I love seeing someone with an “I Voted” sticker or having someone tell me how easy their experience was at the polling site.
Share what you think our readers might find interesting or informative. I like to tell people that I work at the Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office and the first thing everyone says is, “What do you do for the rest of the year?” I always laugh because one, I have a good sense of humor and two, a lot of people do not know what goes on behind the scenes to pull off a successful election.
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