Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
A Times Editorial
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 31, 2003
Buddy Johnson, the man Gov. Jeb Bush selected to take over as Hillsborough County elections supervisor, has his work cut out for him. He has less than four weeks to prepare for city elections in Tampa. He must train poll workers, win the confidence of the staff and show a rightly skeptical public he has the gravitas for the job.
Johnson will complete the unexpired term of Pam Iorio, who left to run for Tampa mayor. He has no time to waste. The first ballot for Tampa mayoral and city council elections is March 4; a runoff, which is likely, would come later that month. The races are crowded with quality candidates who will bring legions of new voters to the polls. Johnson's first show as supervisor will be a demanding and high-profile test. His performance could decide whether Republicans can keep the job after 2004. It certainly will reflect on the governor's judgment in appointing him.
With so much at stake, Johnson needs to recognize, and quickly, how Iorio managed to succeed. She nurtured and supported a knowledgeable staff, made her office open and accountable to the public and conducted herself, though in a partisan job, without a hint of political favoritism. Johnson inherits an office that is modern, accessible, professional and ethical -- one that has operated above the bitter partisan wars raging countywide.
Iorio fostered public confidence because she was sensitive to even the appearance of conflict. She conducted herself, both at and outside the office, with an even hand. Johnson needs to appreciate how that practice contributes to the perception of fair elections. He is far more in the public eye as the official in town who runs elections than he was as a part-time legislator in Tallahassee.
Johnson needs to be visible and to continue the public outreach programs that Iorio made a central mission. The public still has many questions about early voting, touch-screen technology and other facets of modern-day elections. Iorio not only demystified the process; she took her office on the road to meet with voters. She was especially sensitive to the needs of elderly voters, minorities and those who don't speak English.
Johnson may feel the need to make his mark, as many question whether his personal connections in Tallahassee were stronger than his qualifications for the job. But this is an office where deliberation and thoughtfulness are sorely needed. He can find relief in one thought: No one in his right mind would want an elections supervisor to fail. Fair and free elections, and an accurate count of the vote, are rights in a democracy that cut across partisan lines. Johnson has been given a position of great public trust. If he handles the job with the seriousness it deserves, he will leave a constructive legacy regardless of how long he serves.