Alachua County’s elections supervisor position will return to voters on the November ballot for the first time since 2016.  

Supervisor of Elections Kim Barton was selected by voters that year, running against two fellow Democrats. In 2020, no one filed to run against Barton, making this her first time defending her seat.  

Running against Barton is Republican Judith Jensen. Both candidates ran unopposed in their party primaries. 

The supervisor of elections (SOE) is responsible for maintaining the voter registration rolls, setting up polling locations, educating voters and verifying the election. It’s one of the six constitutional officers of the county—alongside the sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, state attorney and clerk of the courts.  

The candidates’ written responses have been edited slightly for style and clarity.  

Kim Barton, incumbent 

What prompted you to run for reelection?  

I decided to run for reelection because I believe Alachua County needs an experienced and dedicated elections administrator to ensure elections continue to be fair, transparent, and accessible and that voters are granted every opportunity to exercise their right to vote.  

Why are you the right candidate for the office?  

I think I am the right candidate for this office because I have spent the last 31 years working in elections administration, planning, implementing and administering over 80 elections serving the citizens and voters of Alachua County.  

As your SOE, I have successfully conducted nine federal, state and county elections including three statewide recounts and one county-wide recount. I have directly overseen the day-to-day operations of the election office, supervising a staff of 30 as well as over 600-plus election workers, including preparing and managing a $4 million annual budget. 

I believe my roots in Alachua County and my demonstrated commitment to this county’s voters make me the best candidate for Supervisor of Elections. I believe the Supervisor of Elections must exhibit those core values of experience, community connections, and dedication to the voters.  

What challenges does the Supervisor of Elections Office face?  

I think a critical challenge facing Alachua County when it comes to elections is misinformation and disinformation. Many voters and prospective voters simply don’t feel like they have trusted community leaders they can turn to for objective, nonpartisan voting information. This is an issue that is not just unique to Alachua County, but nationwide. It has serious consequences for the public’s trust in the elections process and the ability for people of different political backgrounds to get along in our community.  

People who spread misinformation without checking the truthfulness of that information may not even realize the serious consequences of these falsehoods. Misinformation about elections is a danger to democracy. It is important for voters and citizens to know that my office is the official trusted source of elections information in Alachua County. If they have questions and concerns about anything they hear, they should contact my office and verify the validity of that information.  

Why should voters care about who fills this role? 

The next Supervisor of Elections will have discretion over establishing early voting locations in the county (under my leadership, early voting has grown from three locations to eight, including one at UF and one at Santa Fe College), maintaining the voter rolls according to Florida Statute, and other key areas.  

The community needs a Supervisor of Elections that understands Florida Statute and best practices. I am committed to excellence by maintaining the highest level of knowledge and expertise in the elections process through continuing education. I am the only candidate that holds certification as a Master Florida Certified Elections Professional.  

What would you like residents to know about the position? 

It is important to know that your Supervisor of Elections must be accountable for maintaining public confidence in honest and impartial elections which I conduct in a fair, efficient, accurate and nonpartisan manner. Your Supervisor of Elections must endeavor to maintain the highest level of integrity in performing all duties as required by Florida Statutes. Alachua County residents should know that their Supervisor of Elections is accessible to them. I welcome constituents to visit my office in-person during our office hours (515 N. Main Street, Gainesville). Give us a call at 352-374-5252, and they are always invited to observe Canvassing Board meetings during elections in our building. The process is open and transparent, which assures voters of the integrity of their elections. Residents should feel empowered to learn more about the process from trained and dedicated election professionals.  

Open comment:  

Thank you for this opportunity to inform your readers about my background and vision for this office. If they wish to contact me, my email is kimbartonsoe@gmail.com or visit my Facebook page at KimBartonSOE to learn more about me. 

Judith Jensen 

What prompted you to run?  

I am passionate about the process of choosing those who represent us in government.  My involvement in Election Integrity groups for the past four years has made me aware of so many actual and potential failure points in our systems that I simply cannot “unsee.”  Washington, D.C., is out of my reach, but I have tried to make a difference in assuring trustworthy elections here in Alachua County. I can make a much greater impact from within the SOE office, though, without the barriers encountered by the “no responsive records exist” responses I receive to public record requests.  

This is the first time in 20 years that this office will appear on the general ballot, because I thought it was important for our citizens to have a CHOICE. Moving up legacy employees unopposed does not provide the fresh insight of a qualified and dedicated candidate with a scientific approach.      

Why are you the right candidate for the office?  

I have participated in every aspect of elections that I could gain access to, as an election integrity (EI) volunteer and poll worker. The many EI groups I network with provide a depth of understanding of legislative and process issues that should be addressed to improve our elections. Being employed as a master’s prepared nurse, I have a strong background in solving difficult problems and collaborating with diverse stakeholder groups.  

Most of my career has been spent working long stressful hours, meeting the highest performance standards. I approach all of my activities with an expectation of excellence. The steady string of errors our citizens have had to contend with will not continue under my watch.  I have experience providing the mission, vision, and values for staff as a respected leader, manager, educator, and overseer of quality and competency.  

What challenges does the SOE face?  

Elections have become volatile, filled with non-constructive behavior and rhetoric. The SOE must take a non-partisan approach when listening to constituents, considering their ideas, and including them in all aspects of elections. The voices of those who question the accuracy of voting machines, like our Dominion suit, need to be heard – especially when their administrative passwords have been leaked. Restoring confidence with robust hand-count audits, going over and above minimal requirements, and proactive surveillance of voter rolls using all available databases is necessary.  

I come from an environment of continuous quality improvement, where the bar is always raised. Keeping all citizens engaged in the process of choosing our representatives requires open communication and transparency, which is my commitment.    

Why should voters care about who fills this role?  

Alachua County residents have witnessed many instances of questionable decisions made by the incumbent SOE, who ran unopposed in 2020. From prosecution of felons who were registered in jail then voted, serving on the CTCL advisory board while accepting “Zuckerbucks,” churches ceasing to serve as polling locations following a lawsuit, candidates not living in their district, and numerous other examples, voter confidence has eroded.  

My own research from Public Record Requests has revealed voter rolls that contain many questionable registrations, and lack of collaborative avenues for challenging them. Utilizing citizen-developed databases like “The People’s Audit” has made me skeptical of the accuracy of our voter rolls. Alachua deserves better! The budget for the office ballooned from over $4 million to over $9 million in a few short years. We need a proven leader who will provide fiscal responsibility combined with high standards for productivity and accuracy, and I meet those qualifications.  

What would you like residents to know about the role of a SOE?  

Elections belong to the People, but the SOE is responsible for making sure that elections run smoothly and transparently. Statutes dictate most aspects of election conduct, so strict adherence to national and state laws is required. The Florida SOE organization attempts to provide a unified voice but is against changing laws to make elections tighter.  The county’s SOE should primarily meet the needs of the voters who elected them, by listening and responding to their concerns. Running smooth elections with adequate numbers of trained staff is necessary. Outreach to all areas, making it easy to vote is a priority.  

Alachua County voters have seen failures in qualifying candidates, informing voters of changes in polling locations (Precinct 60 recently), and assuring that ineligible individuals like non-residents, deceased, unresolved felons, and non-citizens do not populate our voter rolls. Communication with voters through all available means needs to clearly inform them so confusion is limited. We are constantly told that our SOE is the trusted source of information, but excellence has not been demonstrated and that trust has not been earned.     

Open Comment:  

Running as a Republican candidate with no political experience or big donors has been challenging. I am the secretary of the county’s Republican Executive Committee and have many other competing obligations. Yet I have chosen this opportunity because I believe in the importance of public service. 

People have died for our right to vote, and every vote by an ineligible person steals that right. Delving into voter rolls over the years has shown a need for marked improvement and rigorous surveillance. Carrying large numbers of inactive voters without proactively investigating whether they are still eligible is not acceptable. The ballot image vote counts I obtained from Alachua’s 2020 election are being evaluated by a national team of volunteers, and the results will provide a comparison to that reported by the Dominion machines. A vote for me is a vote for smooth, honest, and transparent elections. See my website www.VoteJensen20024.com for more information.