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2020 election year
Editor’s note: This is the second and final installment of “COVID-19 and the campaign trail.” The first article ran in the April 16 edition.
With 2020 an election year, and Osceola County along with the rest of the country dealing with COVID-19, campaigning for candidates might be a little tricky.
So we reached out to some of the candidates and asked them how the pandemic is affecting their campaign.
Osceola County Supervisor of Elections Mary Jane Arrington, running for re-election
How has COVID-19 made campaigning more challenging?
I, like many candidates, am working on completing the task of getting my candidate petitions signed. This has become increasingly difficult because community events that I had planned to be at to get signatures have been canceled. It is not advisable to walk door to door for the safety of others and myself. I have had to result to other ways to get this task done.
If anything, what are you doing differently to get your platform out to the people?
I think all candidates are going to have to rethink our personal interaction with the voters. That will be difficult because this is one of the parts of campaigning that I really enjoy. If the same guidelines continue through out the campaign season, gatherings will not be possible.
Are you concerned about getting COVID-19 in trying to run for office?
No. I am trying to follow the known best practices of keeping my social distance from others
While the election is still 7 months away, are you concerned about voter turnout with COVID-19?
If the present situation continues- yes, definitely. The state organization of Supervisors of Elections is working together on a plan for ways to better serve our voters. Some examples would be to increase the length of Early Voting and be able to add additional Early Voting locations.
In Osceola County, we will continue to promote Vote by Mail, which is the easiest way for voters to vote.
Does the Supervisor of Elections have the power to postpone an election in cases such as this pandemic?
No. That would have to come from the Governor and/or the Legislature.
Linette Matheny, running for St. Cloud City Council re-election
She wrote: I am not worried about the campaign right now, my focus is helping the city get through this pandemic. I am in close communication with the city manager, fire chief, and directors with this ever changing situation and trying to keep the city moving, help our local businesses, and protect our city employees.
Julius Melendez is running for Osceola County School Board district 2.
How has COVID-19 made campaigning more challenging?
I have participated in multiple elections since 2006 and can definitively say that COVID-19 aka “Corona” has changed the rules. As a candidate, fundraising is an aspect that is least enjoyed, yet necessary because getting the word out costs money (lawn signs, stamps, flyers, social media ads, website etc.). When I call people, even donors who have historically given to campaigns in the past, extreme caution must be undertaken for you never know the economic circumstance of the person and you do not want to offend them by asking for a contribution when their business or employment is struggling to stay afloat.
If anything, what are you doing differently to get your platform out to the people?
Walking door to door is a staple that I actually enjoy because you get the pulse of what a cross section of voters are thinking and they tend to be more open in their conversations with you in a private setting. Social media has a tendency to generate opinions from people who lean as extroverts, and their opinion still matters, you just don’t get the full picture of what the entire district is thinking.
Are you concerned about getting COVID-19 in trying to run for office?
I will admit that this new campaign environment favors the incumbent more than usual. Not only are new candidates not able to walk door to door, but virtually all major public events that you could attend to meet people have been canceled. You can still mail a flyer or post a Facebook ad, but you can’t really gain the trust or win a vote through propaganda as you do in person. A virtual town hall can be conducted, but if you don’t already have a following, how do you draw people to participate? It a whole new campaign world for sure.
While the election is still 7 months away, are you concerned about voter turnout with COVID-19?
Unfortunately, voter turnout in Osceola County was one of the lowest in the state of Florida.
Osceola County was the 4th lowest in the entire State of Florida at 52.8 percent for the 2018 midterm elections without Corona... so without a president, U.S. senator, or governor on the ballot to drive voters to the polls, I can only imagine a diminished turnout.
Alvin “AC” Codner is running for Kissimmee mayor (seat 5).
How has COVID-19 made campaigning more challenging?
The COVID -19 has made my campaign more challenging mainly due to the physical barriers. Following the medical precautions and new county recommendations/ordinances, all of my campaign events have been canceled and canvassing to get the vote out has also been put to a halt. As a teacher, I am also constantly at home making sure I’m around my laptop to always be available for my students or do any live virtual instruction. Creating a whole new type of curriculum delivery takes a lot of time away from being able to campaign as well. Overall, no complaints on my end for the simple fact... this is all a part of life. Sometimes so much campaigning will make you forget about things you should cherish. I have much to be grateful for, especially my health. Unfortunately, two of my aunts and my uncle contracted the coronavirus and one of them died from it. With that being said, I know others are also losing family members and loved ones to this virus so “politics” per se isn’t the topic they want to converse about it. The real challenge isn’t campaigning... the challenge is figuring out solutions for the people to get them back on their feet and live a sustainable life. My campaign can wait or be put on pause how I see it.
If anything, what are you doing differently to get your platform out to the people?
The way I will get my platform out to the people has changed for sure. I still am creating videos and sharing posts that is helping out and keeping the community informed via social media. Social media is one of my main outlets, but phone banking and emailing will also be used more to make up for the barrier of going door to door and attending public gatherings. My platform has changed since now... there is going to be a new normal of how we live life during and after this coronavirus pandemic. It’s all about adjusting to the new social norms and figuring out ways to adapt to various unfortunate/complex situations.
Are you concerned about getting COVID-19 in trying to run for office?
I personally am not as concerned about getting the virus due to the fact I am staying inside my apartment majority of the days out of the months, and if I do go outside I am following all the safety measures and precautions from medical experts such as my mom (nurse). I live on my own and I also have a pretty good immune system. I am more concerned about my mother who is a nurse in St. Cloud and my father who works at the Orlando airport at times... they are essential workers along with a lot of my other family members and friends. I am consistently praying for them and others out there on the front lines.
While the election is still 7 months away, are you concerned about voter turnout with COVID-19?
With the elections being 7 months away, I do believe the COVID-19 will have an impact on the voter turnout. Even though I believe this year we would have seen historical numbers here in Osceola County and across the nation for voter turnout, I also believe that the safety of human life is more important. For the past 10 years, I have been a public servant in some form or fashion, so it truthfully doesn’t matter if I am an elected official or not. This election doesn’t make or break me or anything I already do for the people and the community... it only makes things easier and smoother for me to accomplish initiatives I would like to see for Kissimmee... if I am to be elected. I’m running for office to enhance my public service, but all and all, I would rather a lower turnout and safety of my community than a higher voter turnout and have the people in danger. If it so happens to not be my time to be in public office this year, with me being the age 29, I am still young enough to run for office in 2022 and/or 2024 and still inspire the young people to go out and vote and have them feel represented in politics.
Ricky Booth is running for Osceola County Commission district 5. He is currently an Osceola County School Board member.
He wrote: Right now my focus is on the safety and health of all our students and their families, and providing the highest quality education possible in this new format. Teachers and School District staff continue to work tirelessly to educate Osceola students and engage their parents. I will keep working with my fellow School Board members, our superintendent, and all community leaders to ensure that Osceola County comes through this pandemic safely and ready to get back to business.
