From the Editor’s Desk

What lack of faith in elections?

Ever since Nov. 3, 2020, a lot of people have been questioning the integrity of America’s elections. Never mind a lack of evidence. announced earlier this summer that he was resigning midterm, creating the need for a special election for his seat. Here are the candidates for Ocala mayNever mind dozens and dozens of court or and City Council. The mayor earns $500 rulings dismissing such claims. Never mind a month and serves a two-year term. City election officials and elected officials alike — Council members earn $200 a month and of both parties — declaring the 2020 elec- serve four-year terms. tion the most secure and accurate ever. Yet, the unfounded claims of voter fraud drone MAYOR: Five-term incumbent Kent Guinn on and on. Alas, if you tell a lie enough times, and community activist Manal Fakhoury. people will start believing it, right?

Well, if there is any concern over the in- DISTRICT 1 (an at-large seat that serves the tegrity of our elections in Ocala, you’d never entire city): Incumbent Brent Malever and conknow it by looking at the ballot for the Sept. struction company executive Barry Mansfield. 21 municipal elections. Fifteen people are running for city office — two for mayor and DISTRICT 3 (serving southwest Ocala): 13 for four of the five City Council seats. Incumbent Jay Musleh, a banker, electrical

Concerns about election integrity? Not contractor Ty Schlichter and hair salon ownhere, apparently. er Rusty Juergens.

Wesley Wilcox, Marion County’s venerable elections supervisor, said it is the larg- DISTRICT 4 (Wardell’s seat, serving downest city ballot he has seen in his 20 years of town Ocala and surrounding neighborhoods): working in the county elections office and he real estate broker Kristen Dreyer, fencing conbelieves that is a testament to peoples’ faith tractor Alex Everts, retired human resources in the election process. executive and ex-county commissioner Bar-

“I think it shows just by their actions that bara Fitos, filmmaker and anti-vaccination people trust our elections,” he said. “Because if activist Lori Gregory, pastor and advocate for you didn’t trust it, why would you be running?” the poor Curtis Jones and software developer

Exactly. Kevin Lopez.

Wilcox said turnout for a typical city election usually runs around 10-12 percent. But DISTRICT 5 (serving east and southeast Ocbecause this year’s city election features two well-known mayoral candidates in incumbent Kent Guinn and challenger Manal Fakhoury, and four of the five council seats are up for consideration, he believes “there is a decent shot” to see a much bigger turnout, say, somewhere around 25 percent.

Part of the reason for the abundance of candidates is that District 4 City Councilman Matt Wardell “I think it shows just by their actions that people trust our elections. Because if you didn’t trust it, why would you be running?” —Wesley Wilcox

BY BRAD ROGERS

ala): electrical contractor Greg Steen and Jim Hilty, a former city councilman and a financial advisor.

Quite a line-up. Quite a testament to just how robust and healthy our election system is.

Wilcox noted that with four of five City Council seats up for voter consideration, not to mention the mayor’s office, voters need to pay attention and, most importantly, participate.

“You’ve got 80 percent of this important decision-making body that will be chosen,” he said. “That’s a big deal.”

Yes, a really big deal.

The deadline to register to vote in the city election is Aug. 23. Requests for mail-in ballots need to be in by Aug. 13.

The election, again, will be held Sept. 21.

Seems like our election system is more than alive and well.