Tuesday, November 6, is Election Day! The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You may vote only at your assigned precinct based on your legal residence. Use the Collier Supervisor of Elections’ Precinct Finder or call (239) 252-VOTE.
With elections top-of-mind, I’ll begin with the latest on voter turnout and campaign finance that Collier voters might want to know. But elections aside, the business of government did continue in October, and there were some developments you should be aware of. Among them: Hurricane Michael made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near Mexico Beach, FL, on October 10, affecting residents’ ability to vote and putting a strain on state reserves, and the debate over who gets to appoint Florida’s next three Supreme Court justices continued to play out.
Voter turnout
States’ early turnout setting records ahead of Election Day. Associated Press via Miami-Herald, 11/3/18
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| Voter Turnout |
Campaign money
I reviewed the campaign contributions and spending reported through Saturday for each of the candidates for federal or state office on Collier voters’ ballots (summarized here). Of particular note:
- U.S. Senate – Rick Scott’s bid to unseat Democrat Bill Nelson is “this year’s most expensive Senate race, as control of the chamber hangs in the balance.” (CNBC.com, 10/31/18) Nelson has raised and spent $28 and $25 million, respectively, none his own money. With one week to go, Scott had contributed more than $64 million of his own money to his race, nearly reaching the $70 million he spent to win the governor’s race in 2010. (Tampa Bay Times, 11/1/18)
- U.S. House District 19 – Incumbent Francis Rooney has refused to debate and is barely campaigning, while challenger David Holden seems to never stop. Holden raised $.5 million to Rooney’s $.7 million, and spent $.4 million to Rooney’s $.9 million. (FEC.gov, 11/03/18)
- Governor – Big-money donors give DeSantis slight lead in fundraising for Florida governor’s race. (Naples Daily News, 10/25/18; dos.myflorida.com, 11/03/18)
- Agriculture Commissioner – Given that this was the most contested of the three Cabinet offices during the primaries, I was surprised that it raised and spent the least of the three in this election. Nikki Fried (D): $1.0 and $1.6 million, respectively; Matt Caldwell (R): $1.8 and $1.5 million, respectively. (dos.myflorida.com, 11/03/18)
- Chief Financial Officer – Well-connected Scott appointee/incumbent Jimmy Patronis (R) raised and spent three times his opponent, Jeremy Ring (D). Patronis: $2.4 and $2.3 million, respectively; Ring: $.8 and $.8 million, respectively. (dos.myflorida.com, 11/03/18)
- Attorney General – This was the biggest-money Cabinet race. Ashley Moody (R): $5.2 and $4.0 million, respectively; Sean Shaw (D): $2.7 and $1.9 million, respectively. (dos.myflorida.com, 11/03/18)
- Senate District 28; House Districts 80, 105, 106 – In their heavily Republican districts, it’s no surprise that incumbents Kathleen Passidomo, Byron Donalds and Bob Rommel raised and spent far, far more than their Democratic challengers Annisa Karim, Jennifer Boddicker and Sara McFadden, respectively. McFadden came the closest, raising 84 percent of Rommel’s $.2 million and spending 48% of his $.1 million. In District 106, with no incumbent running, Republican Ana Maria Rodriguez crushed Democrat Javier Estevez in funds raised and spent. (dos.myflorida.com, 11/03/18)
Responding to Hurricane Michael
- Major policy issues may arise out of the storm. The state has nearly $4 billion in reserves to help address the immediate needs of communities impacted by Michael, but the Legislature likely will be asked to appropriate other funds to help with various hurricane-related issues. Herald-Tribune, 10/13/18
- After Hurricane Michael, Florida election chiefs look at ‘Plan B and Plan C’ for voters. From Leon to Okaloosa, election supervisors are confident the November election will proceed with voters having access and ballots getting counted. Tallahassee Democrat via Naples Daily News, 10/17/18
- Scott emergency order expands voting opportunities, doesn’t delay election. In-person and absentee voting opportunities were expanded for residents of the eight counties hardest hit by Hurricane Michael, but the order stops short of extending the Nov. 6 general Election Day in the counties. Politico Florida, 10/18/18
- Related: Hurricane Michael’s devastation in GOP-rich FL Panhandle could affect midterm elections. Naples Daily News, 11/3/18
- Senator Bill Nelson calls on Florida Legislature to reverse construction code law. Before visiting areas devastated by Hurricane Michael, Nelson called out the Legislature and Governor Scott for a 2017 law he says allows builders to strip international building standards from Florida codes. WFSU Public Media, 10/17/18
The battle over the State Supreme Court
As we reported in The upcoming battle over Supreme Court appointments, three of Florida’s seven state Supreme Court justices reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 this year, raising the question, “Who gets to appoint their successors: Governor Scott, as he completes his term, or the successor governor?” Scott first claimed the authority last year (see my July 2017 post Florida League of Women Voters and Common Cause sue Rick Scott) and in September 2018 ordered the Judicial Nominating Commission to start interviewing candidates. In October, the League and Common Core won their lawsuit, but a question remained.
- Florida Supreme Court ruling raises stakes of governor’s election. The state Supreme Court said the job of replacing three retiring justices belongs not to lame-duck Gov. Rick Scott but to his successor. Miami-Herald, 10/15/18
- Scott can’t make ‘midnight appointments,’ but can his appointees do so? All nine Judicial Nominating Commission members are Scott appointees. Florida Watchdog, 10/16/17
- New lawsuit filed over Florida Supreme Court picks. The League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause asked the Court to block the Judicial Nominating Commission from interviewing candidates. APNews.com, 10/26/18
Public education
One of the first things the newly-elected governor will have to do is develop a state budget to submit to the Legislature by February 3 — a month ahead of the 60-day legislative session. (See Transition for new governor will be challenging, News Service of Florida via Herald-Tribune, 11/2/18). Since education is the second-biggest expenditure in the state budget (see Fiscal Analysis in Brief), expect more articles about public education in the coming months:
- A troubling picture of Florida high school student performance. Florida students tested scored below the national average and lower than scores from comparable states, according to testing giant ACT’s recent analysis. Florida Phoenix, 10/17/18
- State Rep. Donalds mulls legislation to increase charter schools’ accountability. The legislation, which he said is still in the “conceptual” stage, would require charter schools to publish student and teacher turnover rates “to give parents the additional information they need to make the best choice for their child” and would mandate a minimum of five board members. Naples Daily News, 10/7/18
- Florida continues to expand school choice with new programs. Current programs include Hope Scholarships, Tax Credit Scholarships, MacKay Scholarships, Gardiner Scholarships, Opportunity Scholarships, Home Schooling and Virtual Schooling.Tampa Bay Times, 11/1/18
The environment
- Everglades restoration must deal with rising ocean, new report says. Eighteen years into the multi-billion-dollar restoration of the Everglades, a scientific review committee has called for a broad re-examination of future projects in view of changing climate conditions in Southwest Florida. Sun-Sentinel, 10/17/18
- U.S. Senate authorizes $1.6 billion reservoir to cut Lake O discharges; President Trump expected to sign legislation. Getting the federal money, though, could take a couple of years. TCPalm via Naples Daily News, 10/11/18
- Related: President Trump Signs Water Resources Bill into Law. Sunshine State News, 10/23/18
- Related: Statement by Senate President Negron on President Trump signing America’s Water Infrastructure Act. Senate Press Release, 10/23/18
- State Sen. Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples): To stop algae problem, get serious on septic tanks. “We need to do more than focus on a few large polluters,” she said. Florida Politics, 10/15/18
Other news of note
- Mayors score a victory in court battle over the NRA-backed state law which blocks local firearm regulations. A Leon County judge is allowing a lawsuit to go forward over whether local Florida officials have the right to pass gun laws in their towns and cities. Florida Phoenix, 10/18/18
- Related: Florida forces towns to pull local laws limiting guns, New York Times, 9/10/11
- Florida opens investigation into priest sex abuse against children. Attorney General Pam Bondi encourages victims – including anyone who was victimized at any churches, youth groups, schools, and other institutions – to report the crime, no matter how long ago it occurred. Florida Phoenix, 10/4/18
- Fakahatchee strand preserve will get $1.3 million upgrade. The Florida legislature appropriated the funds to upgrade the park’s Big Cypress Bend boardwalk along US 41 and improve access, accessibility and viewability of the natural surroundings. Marco Eagle via Naples Daily News, 10/18/18
- Florida probably won’t get permanent Daylight Saving Time. The Florida Legislature approved it this year, but it’s been met with steep opposition in Congress. Tampa Bay Times, 10/31/18