On Tuesday, September 23, 2014, GrayRobinson’s Orlando office hosted a Community Leader Forum featuring Mike Ertel, Seminole County Supervisor of Elections, and Bill Cowles, Orange County Supervisor of Elections. The topic of discussion was focused around 2014 and 2016 election previews.
Ertel and Cowles are both dedicated to giving voters every opportunity to cast their vote. There are currently three ways to vote in Florida: absentee ballots, which will be mailed beginning September 30, 2014; early voting, which will begin October 20, 2014; and Election Day, which is held on November 4 in 2014. Today, more people vote before the Election Day than on the actual Election Day. According to statistics, a 72 year old female republican is more than 95% likely to go to the poll and vote, and least likely is young Hispanic male with no party affiliation. They encouraged all eligible citizens to go out and vote and make their voice heard.
Ertel, Seminole County Supervisor of Elections, is a highly sought expert on elections issues, speaking to state, national and international election official organizations. In 2012 he testified before a United States Senate subcommittee about Florida's elections laws and has testified before the State of Texas Legislature and the National Conference of State Legislatures on voter identification laws. He has spoken about election law to conventions of the American Bar Association and the American Association of Political Consultants. Ertel has been Supervisor of Elections for Seminole County for nine years. Prior to becoming supervisor he was a radio personality and an award-winning writer and journalist. Ertel spent eight years in the U.S. Army with stints as a public affairs representative during the Los Angeles riots, Macedonian, and Bosnian operations. After the Army, he was in the public affairs field, including serving as Seminole County government's first public information professional, as the director of public relations for a 185-location bank, and conducting post-disaster public relations for the State of Florida's tourism marketing agency, Visit Florida.
Cowles has been an integral part of the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office since 1989, after serving thirteen years on the staff of the Central Florida Council, Boy Scouts of America. He was elected as the Orange County Supervisor of Elections in 1996, and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. Cowles supervises the fifth largest county elections office in the State of Florida. He served on the Federal Elections Assistance Commission Board of Advisors from 2007 to 2011. His other professional involvement includes being Past President of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, as well as Past President of the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials, and Treasurers.
Through its Community Leader Forums, GrayRobinson brings together clients, attorneys and friends of the firm to hear high-profile business and community leaders and elected officials discuss issues of importance to the state of Florida.