Jensen: How citizen involvement impacted the recent High Springs election

Letter to the editor

The municipal election in High Springs for two of the five city commission seats demonstrated how citizen involvement can be crucial in influencing local governing bodies.  

Positioning capable leaders in those positions didn’t just happen by magic. It took the efforts of concerned conservative citizens who rose to support Mr. Tapanes and Mr. Miller when they announced their candidacy. Instead of merely complaining, volunteers began meeting monthly, strategizing how to reach voters with the message that change was needed. Vigorous email and text messaging were supplemented by door-knocking, event attendance, targeted phone calls, social media presence, and pamphlet distribution. This achieved heightened awareness of the lack of responsiveness on the part of many commissioners to the concerns of their constituents. The timing of the property tax notices also was advantageous, as the sizable increase incensed voters.  

In preparation for the election, the conservative group representatives attended the Logic & Accuracy Testing of the voting equipment. Members also participated in viewing of vote-by-mail ballot envelope signatures, comparing them to those on file with the Supervisor of Elections office. The City Clerk was notified that poll watchers were desired, and the necessary forms were completed to assure their inclusion.  

On election day, citizen presence was impactful. Poll watchers for Andrew Miller and the Republican Party observed at both precinct locations all day. Sign wavers lined the roads to encourage voters. The canvassing board meeting was well-attended, with volunteers comparing the tabulator counts for Precinct 20 with the hand-counted totals during the post-election audit. Clerk Angela Stone conducted the election with excellence, having no issues identified by observers.

The robust participation of enthused citizens made a difference in boosting engagement. Of about 5,000 eligible voters, a 20% turnout was sub-optimal but adequate to decisively replace the incumbents. The people of High Springs found their voice and created change. 

This article from November 17 shows a functioning group of leaders who are now demanding accountability.

Unresponsive representatives are answerable to the electorate when they don’t serve wisely. The fallout was immediately visible, with the new Mayor identifying a budget shortfall amounting to $350,000, leading to the City Manager offering her resignation.  

There are lessons to be learned. Yes, all politics are local; if everyone cleaned up their own backyards, the results would be far-reaching. Sitting at home complaining and hoping someone would do something accomplishes nothing. A few dedicated patriots achieved progress for their city, but so much more could have been done with additional participants. We can impact Alachua County similarly, since we chafe at the awful decisions made at the county level, but we have to step up and use our voice.

Judith Jensen, High Springs

The opinions expressed by letter or opinion writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AlachuaChronicle.com. Letters may be submitted to info@alachuachronicle.com and are published at the discretion of the editor.

  • Nice article. A bit off your topic but I feel it important to say. To quote you, you said “if everyone cleaned up their own backyards, the results would be far-reaching. ” Behind the old school in High Springs in their backyard the city has created over time a noise infested junkyard, filled with old surplus vehicles and various industrial items. They start loading trucks banging equipment as early as 7am in the morning. I believe the property is zoned C-2 bordering residential zoning that was there long before the present use of city property which I believe has become out of character with its zoning. If a resident was to commit such and act what would the city arm of enforcement do? Why should the city be above the regulations, zoning or common decency and respect for those they border. Please City Clean up your act.

  • Kudos to Judith and all the citizens who worked hard to bring good governance to their town. She is spot on “clean up your own backyard”. Local governance is the only way citizens can make their values reign.

  • We are thrilled to have Katherine as our new mayor, as well as Ross and Gloria out. This should be a lesson on what happens when you vote against what the people you claim to represent actually want. Memo: it’s not a “subdivision” that will more than double the population of our city.

  • Well said – an encouraging election! I hope we will continue to see positive change throughout Alachua County. It starts with us!

  • Thanks, Judith, for your well-articulated letter.

    Conservatives are not known for their political organizing skills as much as their bookkeeping and reliance on existing statutes and laws to keep governance as low key as possible. At least, that’s their ideal.

    But, the election results do not really chorus a voter mandate with only 20% of voters showing up.

    The question becomes a choice between the best candidates or the best organization and the two are rarely the same.

    Just ask the good people of Gainesville about that.

  • It is perfectly stated and has a compelling message. To remove one incumbent is challenging, but both of them are paramount to returning to good Government practices. High Springs had three straight years of 4-1 voting on every vote. Without a second, you cannot even debate any issues. One Commissioner always made the motion, and the other three just followed along perfectly on cue. They then combined to defeat the first Commissioner that resisted their agenda. She was replaced with a new Commissioner who had never even attended any meetings his entire life. They labeled her a troublemaker and she still gathered almost 900 votes.
    The $350,000 plus 70k more each month was forced out into the open. It has the potential to be $840k if the city cannot exit a bad contract that was disclosed that nobody took a thorough review before signing it.
    When it came out of the lack of responsible oversight the City Manager quit, and I resigned at the end of the meeting.
    There are several other examples that can be given. Now we must stay involved and never let this situation develop again.

  • I don’t believe this Ridiculous election conspiracy supportive article was published! WHEN has there been election issues or manipulation complaints in High Springs? The only thing I can think of when a Certain Person was intentionally Left off the Ballot!! NO insinuation of conspiracy theories there though.

  • “Yes, all politics are local;…” that is until the Florida GOP, through gerrymandered “representatives” from neighboring counties take over ownership and control of local government and assets, even having the nerve to ignore their own promises of local members of the appointed star chamber.

    Yeah, these are the “conservatives”.

  • More “conservative” attacks on local governance:

    “Despite long advocating small government and local control, Republican governors and legislators across a significant swath of the country are increasingly overriding the actions of Democratic cities — removing elected district attorneys or threatening to strip them of power, taking over election offices and otherwise limiting local independence.

    State lawmakers proposed nearly 700 bills this year to circumscribe what cities and counties can do, according to Katie Belanger, lead consultant for the Local Solutions Support Center, a national organization focused in part on ending the overreach it calls “abusive state preemption.”

    The group’s tracking mostly found “conservative state legislatures responding to or anticipating actions of progressive cities,” she said…

    The antagonisms between red states and blue cities are all the more notable because the urban areas in the crosshairs are mostly majority-minority, with many mayors and district attorneys of color.

    These actions go “squarely against the Republican philosophy of small government and more freedom,” said Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, a Black Democrat who has struggled to pass local tobacco and gun control ordinances because of constraints enacted by Ohio’s Republican-controlled legislature. “This is about common-sense democracy.”…

    Columbia University law professor Richard Briffault faults states for hypocrisy: “They’re in favor of home rule when it’s the feds, but not when it’s states versus locals.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/11/27/red-states-blue-cities-preemption-control/

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