I Am Asking for Your Vote

Yesterday, October 20th, I went to all of the early voting locations in Sarasota County. At several places I witnessed long lines of voters waiting to cast their ballots. After you vote for President and Congress, the next vote you will be faced with in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties, is for the Office of Public Defender. In Florida, the Public Defender is a constitutional office responsible for providing legal representation to indigent citizens. There are four offices in this circuit; small offices in Arcadia and Venice, and large offices in Bradenton and Sarasota. The attorneys of the Public Defender's Office defend thousands of cases each year.

After serving as an Assistant Public Defender for 23 years, I am now asking for your vote to become your elected Public Defender. In addition to running the office, hiring the staff, and managing the budget, I believe that the elected Public Defender must provide leadership in our local criminal justice system and in the communities that make up the circuit. I have developed relationships with every elected county commissioner throughout the three county area. These relationships mean that I will bring credibility to issues like jail overcrowding, early case resolution, and continued development of alternative sentencing programs like Drug Court and Mental Health Court.

I have also worked extensively with the Manatee and Sarasota branches of the NAACP and I am acutely aware of the problems of our poor areas in each county. Presently I am serving on the Board of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness and we are working on discharge planning from the jails to reduce recidivism. I have conducted my campaign by visiting neighborhood and civic associations throughout the region in order to hear citizen feedback on criminal justice issues. With my extensive experience in the courtroom and the community, I believe that I am uniquely positioned to make a positive contribution to our justice system.

I would respectfully request your vote when you cast your ballot for Public Defender.