JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Today, Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Elections Chair Laurel Lee (FL-15) and Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) hosted a roundtable discussion on disaster recovery and elections with election administrators and state and local emergency management officials in Jacksonville, Florida.

"I'm grateful for Director Guthrie and our Supervisors of Elections for their leadership during disaster relief situations and their constant service to Floridians," said Chair Lee. "Supervisors of Elections play a vital role in preparing for natural disasters and ensuring eligible voters have the ability to cast their vote during emergency situations."

“We have a responsibility to ensure voters trust our electoral systems and results, particularly when a natural or manmade disaster strikes," said Congressman Bean. "That is why Florida created an emergency contingency plan for administrating elections that clearly lays out what to do in the event of a disaster. I applaud Chair Laurel Lee for hosting this roundtable discussion at a time when election integrity has been top of mind and for highlighting Florida’s Election Emergency statute as a model for the rest of the nation to follow.”

Roundtable attendees included:

• Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management
• Ron Turner, Sarasota County, Supervisor of Elections
• Mark Earley, Leon County Supervisor of Elections
• Wesley Wilcox, Marion County Supervisor of Elections
• Starley Ard Cetina, Public Relations Coordinator for the Marion County Supervisor of Elections
• Paula Brittain, Assistant Supervisor of Elections, Baker County
• Mary Margaret Giannini, Assistant General Counsel at Office of General Counsel, City of Jacksonville
• Christopher Channell, Director of Elections and Registration, Glynn County, GA

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