Orange County is adding new early voting sites across the locality to facilitate voting access for its sprawling population. Glen Gilzean, the county's Supervisor of Elections, announced that six additional sites would be introduced through a contract with Valencia College, with potential expansions on the horizon as the institution grows. As made known at a recent press conference addressed by Gilzean, the partnership between Orange County and Valencia College is poised to bring early voting opportunities closer to residents, easing the process as the county gears up to increase voter participation.
Gilzean's office, committed to boosting voter turnout, has set an ambitious target to welcome over a million active voters by 2026, building on a robust base of more than 850,000 registered constituents. According to ClickOrlando, the expansion of early voting sites from 20 to 22 aims to match the county's growing voter registration numbers, which include over 170,000 vote-by-mail registrants.
Nevertheless, this move by the elections office is shrouded by fiscal controversies. Recently, Gilzean was ensnared in a scandal regarding handling surplus budget funds, prompting heated debates over his financial authority. Late last month, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings fired a warning shot, hinting at a lawsuit following the Supervisor's decision to distribute $4 million in surplus budget to Valencia College and CareerSource Central Florida without proper authorization. This contract is central to the new early voting sites and the current dispute.
Adding a layer of complexity, the contract with Valencia College has yet to gain approval from the county. In a scenario where funds are clawed back, Valencia College's President affirmed that they will comply, as they "will return the $2.1 million contribution." This was mentioned in a report by WFTV. Conversely, the Supervisor of Elections office spokesperson expressed that such an action would invalidate the contract, subsequently derailing the plans for expanded voting access.
