Commissioner Steele to change vote to be in favor of mailing sample ballots to voters

Brevard County Commissioner Jason Steele says he has changed his mind on his vote two weeks ago to cut money for mailing sample ballots and return postage for vote-by-mail ballots from the supervisor of elections budget.

Steele had voted to remove $318,223 from Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic's 2023-24 budget request.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Steele said he was wrong on his original vote. He said he thought his vote was "the fiscally responsible thing to do," but added: "Sometimes, it's not about the money."

If other commissioners do not change their minds, that would give Bobanic the three votes needed on the five-member County Commission to fund Bobanic's full budget request, when the commission holds its final budget meeting Tuesday night. Bobanic said that would allow his office to mail out sample ballots to all voters, as well as to pay the return postage for voters mailing in vote-by-mail ballots, as it has done in the past.

Steele said his office has received more than 300 emails and more than 100 phone calls from residents who disagreed with his initial vote in favor of moving $318,223 from the budget of the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Office and into Brevard County Fire Rescue, with the money targeted to help pay for constructing and renovating firehouses.

"We were inundated" with calls and emails, Steele said. "The general public wants sample ballots. It's a major issue in the general public."

Steele said he also contacted various elected officials to get their opinions, and most indicated that they support the continued mailing of sample ballots, as has been past practice. Also supporting funding for the mailing of sample ballots are the heads of Brevard County's Republican and Democratic parties.

The shift in Bobanic's budget was proposed by Commissioner John Tobia, who objected to the proposed 19.4% increase in the supervisor of elections 2023-24 budget, compared with the department's budget for 2022-23 fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.

Tobia is a candidate for the elections office when the current term ends next year. Bobanic was named to the post by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year after longtime Supervisor of Elections Lori Scott resigned. Bobanic and Tobia will face off in next year's Republican primary.

Debate over sample ballots: Supervisor of elections budget at forefront in Brevard County Commission budget debate

Bobanic said such a percentage increase is typical going into a presidential election year, because there are more elections to run, including a presidential primary in March, and local and state primaries in August.

Four years ago, for example, the increase approved by county commissioners under Scott's budget was 27.67%, according to the Brevard County Budget Office.

Joining Tobia two weeks ago in voting to reduce Bobanic's budget proposal were County Commission Chair Rita Pritchett and Steele. That revision changed the proposed increase in the supervisor of elections 2023-24 budget to 14.54% ― or $952,612 over the current year's budget ― and made his total budget $7.5 million.

What county budget includes: Proposed Brevard County budget for 2023-24 exceeds $2 billion, while tax rates decrease

In Facebook comments directed at residents who contacted his office, Steele wrote: "After receiving numerous phone calls and emails from concerned Brevard County residents regarding sample and absentee ballots, I have changed my position, and will request a motion for reconsideration of the item at tonight’s board meeting. Thank you for your persistence in this matter."

Bobanic has said voters depend on the sample ballots as part of their research of candidates and issues before casting their ballots. Without the mailing of sample ballots to all voters, Bobanic said, there would be delays and long lines at polling places, as some voters try to research as they are handed their ballots.

Tobia, though, has said Bobanic could shift money from elsewhere in his budget to pay for the mailing of sample ballots and postage on vote-by-mail ballots.

Bobanic has said, without the $318,223, he doesn't have that kind of money in his budget to do so.

In a comment on Facebook responding to Steele's post, Bobanic wrote: "Thank you, Commissioner Steele. I look forward to see this happen at tonight's meeting."

Tobia is completing his second four-year term as county commissioner, and cannot seek reelection to that post in 2024 because of term limits.

The supervisor of elections position pays $174,011 a year and has a four-year term.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Steele seeks to add money to budget to fund mailing sample ballots