Lake High School, Lehigh Senior High School, and North Fort Myers High School ... from Cypress Lake High School and eigh
TOMMY DOYLE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS Message from Tommy… The August 28th Primary and the November 6th General Elections are just around the corner. My office is focused on ensuring that we are prepared and ready to meet the demands of the midterm elections, so we may provide superior election services to you, our voters.
Spring 2018 Important Voter Tip Anytime you move, please contact our office and update your address. Florida law requires that you vote in the precinct in which you reside. (239) LEE-VOTE (239-533-8683) www.lee.vote
[email protected] Office Hours Monday — Friday 8:30 a.m.— 5:00 p.m. Main Office
Melvin Morgan Constitutional Complex 2480 Thompson Street 3rd Floor Fort Myers, 33901
Bonita Springs Branch Office
Bonita Commons 25987 S Tamiami Tr. #105 Bonita Springs, 34134
Cape Coral Branch Office
Lee County Government Center 1039 SE 9th Ave Cape Coral, 33990
Lee County Elections Center South Branch 13180 S Cleveland Ave Fort Myers, 33907
The August 28th Primary Election is very important because voters who are registered with the major parties (Republican and Democrat) will have the opportunity to choose the candidates they want to move on to the General Election.
It is often stated by voters who are non-partisan that since they are not affiliated with a major party, there is nothing for them to vote on, so there is no need for them to vote during the Primary Election. This is far from the truth. There will be something for every voter to decide on. The Primary Election ballot will include partisan races for one federal office (U.S. Senator) and 13 state offices, along with nonpartisan races for School Board Districts 1, 4, 5, and 6 and a Lee County Judicial position. It has been said that the School Board election is the most important position in a local election. Do your homework. For Districts 1, 4, and 5, you must LIVE in the district in order to vote in that race; District 6 is an at large position which means that race is voted on by all registered voters in the county. There will also be municipalities placing referendums on the primary ballot that are open to all registered voters residing within the respective city limits. The General Election ballot is expected to be VERY lengthy– possibly a four-page, eight-sided ballot. It will be filled with the winners from the primary election, plus 13 constitutional amendments, a sales tax referendum, local municipal bond referendums, and independent Special Districts. There are many important decisions to be made this coming election season that will affect everyone. I encourage you to request your Vote-by-Mail Ballot, so you can vote from the convenience of home. And remember, the return postage is paid!
Tommy Doyle IMPORTANT 2018 ELECTION DATES Primary Election - Tuesday, August 28, 2018 Voter Registration Deadline - Monday, July 30, 2018 General Election, Tuesday, November 6, 2018 Voter Registration Deadline - Tuesday, October 9, 2018
2018 ARTS VOTE CONTEST! The Lee County Supervisor of Elections Office’s “2018 Arts Vote Contest” was created to encourage high school students to design artwork that promotes voter participation, civic engagement, and patriotism. The 2018 Arts Vote Contest began October 9, 2017 and ended January 5, 2018. Originally, only students at Cypress Lake High School, Lehigh Senior High School, and North Fort Myers High School (the Academy for the Arts Schools in Lee County) were invited to unleash their creativity and participate in the inaugural contest. However, Island Coast High School decided to take the initiative to submit contest entries as well. The Community Education Services Department was delighted to receive a total of twenty-five entries; seventeen from Cypress Lake High School and eight from Island Coast High School. Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle, along with his Senior staff, judged the entries and selected winners in two categories- “Best Artwork” and “Most Original Artwork”. Paige Caldwell, a 10th grade student, submitted the winning piece in the “Best Artwork” category. She is currently a student at North Fort Myers High school but was enrolled at Cypress Lake High School when she submitted her entry. Hannah Gatof, a 12th grade student at Cypress Lake High School, submitted the winning piece in the “Most Original Artwork” category.
“Best Artwork” by Paige Caldwell
“Voting is a reflection of personal beliefs, although sometimes opinions are swayed. Before voting, people often think about the best option and make sure they agree with their choice. The piece reflects the decision-making process. Propaganda can often influence you, so you have to take your time when making your decisions”
“Most Original” by Hannah Gatof
Hannah was inspired by the “I VOTED” stickers she saw everywhere during election times. “Branching from the imagery came the traditional red, white, and blue color scheme that I decided to stick with. When I started, I knew I wanted to create a youthful and clean design, able to capture the attention of younger voters. This was the outcome.”
Cypress Lake High School On Tuesday, March 13, 2018, Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle presented gift certificates to winner Hannah Gatof and teacher Marguerite Petcher, for her assistance with promoting student participation in the inaugural Arts Vote Contest, and presented a $500 check to the winning school, Cypress Lake High School.
Cypress Lake High School Teacher, Marguerite Petcher, Hannah, Gatof, & Tommy Doyle, Supervisor of Elections
2017 - 2018 Annual High School Voter Registration Challenge The Annual High School Voter Registration Challenge began on September 1st, 2017 and ended on February 16th, 2018. The Community Education Services Department (CESD) provided Voter Education Presentations and Voter Registration Drives in 14 Lee County High Schools. Each year, an invitation to join the High School Challenge is extended to all Lee County high schools, but it is up to each individual school to decide if they would like to participate. The 2017-2018 Challenge was a success because of the effective team effort between the CESD and the leadership teams of each of the participating High Schools. The winning school is determined by the number of new valid voter registrations based on the percentage of students whoa are eligible to register to vote (those who are 16 years old and older). With 35% of their total population of eligible students registering to vote, the winner of the 2017-2018 High School Voter Registration Challenge was Lehigh Senior High School! With 19% of eligible students registering to vote, Island Coast High School came in second place, and with 15% of eligible students registering to vote, Mariner High School came in third place. Supervisor of Elections, Tommy Doyle, presented the traveling trophy to Jackie Corey, principal of Lehigh Senior High School, during the school board meeting on April 10th, 2018. The Lee County School board also presented Kristin Bueno, principal of second place winner Island Coast High school, and Dr. Robert Butz, principal of third place winner Mariner High School, with a Certificate of Appreciation. During the Challenge, the Lee County Supervisor of Elections Office processed a total of 1,335 New Voter Registrations!
Poll Workers The Lee County Supervisor of Elections is currently hiring Poll Workers, especially those who are bilingual in English and Spanish, to work the August 28th Primary and November 6th General Elections. Poll Workers are essential in ensuring successful elections and helping us achieve our mission to deliver superior election services to the voters of Lee County. If you would like to be part of the elections process, we need your help! All Poll Workers are paid for their service. Visit lee.vote for a list of requirements or more information.
Lee County Supervisor of Elections, Tommy Doyle, and his team, believe in making the community a better place. To help reach this goal, the Lee County Supervisor of Elections Office has chosen to partner with Valerie’s House, a non profit organization based in Fort Myers, Florida. Valerie’s House is a place where grieving children and families in Southwest Florida can connect with each other and learn that loss doesn’t have to limit their dreams. Our team is having fun in our efforts to support Valerie’s House. We have held several successful fundraisers that allowed us to provide and serve dinner for two Group Nights, and we collected 41 stuffed animals for the children of Valerie’s House. Children are encouraged to choose a stuffed animal as a source of comfort for the loss of a loved one.
“Blue Casual Day”
Group Night– May 15, 2018
Tommy Doyle and Angela Melvin, President and Founder of Valerie’s House
