Interim Manatee County Supervisor of Elections James Satcher thinks voters who switch their party affili ation to participate in closed primary races are engaging in “election interference.”
Satcher, a hyper-partisan, far-right conservative, made these remarks during a recent Supervisor of Elections debate with moderate Republican candidate and former elections office Chief of Staff Scott Farrington.
Satcher complained about “left-wing journalists” reminding non-Republicans that they, too, can participate in the closed Republican primaries simply by switching their party affiliation to Republican.
In addition to determining who wins the Supervisor of Elections race, the Aug. 20 primary will determine which Republican countywide District 7 county commission candidate, George Kruse or Kevin Van Ostenbridge, faces Democrat Sari Lindroos Valimaki in the general election; and which Republican District 3 county commission candidate, Tal Siddique or April Culbreath, faces Democrat Diana Shoemaker in the general election.
“They want liberals to vote in my election to skew my election the other way. They’re encouraging election interference, telling Democrats to swap parties,” Satcher bemoaned. But he offered no criticism of Thomas Dell, the bogus write-in candidate who closed the supervisor’s race to Republicans only. Had Dell not “interfered,” all Manatee County voters could vote in the supervisor’s race.
Farrington said elections belong to all voters regardless of party affiliation and every voter should have a say in who serves as elections supervisor. Farrington comes off as a man of principle and experience who believes partisan elections should be conducted in the most non-partisan way possible. Satcher comes off as a divisive, party-first buffoon who wants to be the fox guarding the henhouse while collecting a hefty paycheck from county taxpayers.
Satcher and company can whine about “election interference,” but the ability to change party affiliation is a long-standing, perfectly legal political practice that provides concerned citizens the ability to combat the political trickery used to close primary races to one party only – a tactic Democrats also use when given the rare opportunity.
The party affiliation listed on a voter registration card doesn’t define the cardholder or their political beliefs. It’s simply a ticket into races that would otherwise be closed. Party affiliation doesn’t matter in the general election but it can be easily reversed before then.
Voters have until July 22 to switch party affiliation at registertovoteflorida.gov, where they’ll be asked to provide their driver’s license number, the last four digits of their Social Security number and their current address for verification purposes. Voters should check their sample ballots to determine if changing party affiliation affects their ability to vote in other races they’re currently eligible to vote in.
Gov. Ron DeSantis erred in appointing Satcher to serve as interim Supervisor of Elections. Manatee County voters, including those who switch their party affiliation, can now right that wrong. Primary elections have consequences and there’s a lot at stake in Manatee County in 2024. Choose wisely.
