Dear Members,

Democracy prevailed. This morning after the nation-wide elections, although many of the results won’t be known for days, headlines are full of results. Absent are substantial reports of interference at precincts, as some had feared. Voters turned out. Election workers steadfastly did the work of making voting accessible and counting ballot choices. Here in Alachua County, Voter Services co-chair, Gwen Wagner, participated in monitoring the canvassing board, and left impressed with the diligence of those who are responsible for scrutinizing ballots and reassured that every ballot in our county was counted per the wishes of the voter. Democracy remained intact.

Something particularly dreadful is happening in Alachua Co about the single-member district ballot initiative. There is an aggressive misinformation campaign going to convince Black voters that local Black leaders and the NAACP are in favor of single districts. The opposite is true.