Name: Craig Latimer
Age: no response
Residence: Lutz
Occupation: chief of staff, supervisor of elections office
Political affiliation: Democrat
Political experience: first-time candidate
Office being sought: Hillsborough County supervisor of elections
What separates you from your competitors(s)?
I am the only candidate who has conducted elections. I have served with great success as Chief of Staff in the Supervisor of Elections office since 2009, first with Phyllis Busansky (Democrat) and then with Earl Lennard (Republican). I know the statute and rules governing elections processes; I am familiar with the voting and tabulating equipment we use; I have implemented efficiencies and best practices in office procedures and election practices; I have demonstrated my commitment to protecting voter rights and providing voter education. I was born and raised in Hillsborough County, and prior to serving as Chief of Staff at the Supervisor of Elections Office, I spent 35 years protecting life and property as a proud member of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, retiring in 2009 as a Major. I spent most of my career working homicide and major crimes, and, at the request of Sheriff David Gee, as my final assignment I led the transition of child protective investigations from the state to the Sheriff’s Office.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first six months in office?
When I became Chief of Staff in 2009, the biggest challenge was to rebuild an office that had been wracked by years of mismanagement and incompetence. In 2009, public confidence in the office was at an all-time low. Lost ballots, polling places moved without notice to voters, $400,000 in misspent grant funds, election results reported hours – even days – after the polls closed—these were the serious problems facing the office just four years ago when Supervisor Busansky and I assumed office.
There has been a remarkable turnaround since 2009: leadership and accountability restored, election results reported in a timely and accurate manner, the office is impartial and nonpartisan, we are a model of ethics and professionalism, we provide excellent voter services, and we are a responsible steward of taxpayers’ funds.
I will protect and build upon these advances to maintain the public’s restored confidence in the elections process.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your term?
The most serious problem facing the office now is maintaining fair, accessible and transparent elections in which every eligible voter is entitled to cast their ballot confidently and securely, free of barriers, intimidation or suppression.
In addition to working every day to maintain our advances and build on the successes we have had in the Supervisor of Elections Office, I will continue to fight to protect the integrity of the voting process and the rights of voters. The elections process should not be swayed by ideology or ideologues, but must be fairly administered for the benefit of all eligible voters. I will remain a leader among my peers in elections offices throughout the state in protecting voter rights, and I will assure that elections in our county continue to be conducted in a transparent, accountable and efficient manner.
List your political endorsements: West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association; Tampa Police Benevolent Association; Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge; Fraternal Order of Police District 3; Hillsborough Firefighters Local 2294; Tampa Firefighters #754; U.S. Representative Kathy Castor; Alex Sink; Bill McBride; Jim Davis; Judge Don Castor (retired); Former House Speaker T. Terrell Sessums; Former Sheriff Cal Henderson; Former Sheriff Malcolm Beard; Sandy Freedman; Marvin R. Knight; West Central Florida Federation of Labor; Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner; Gil Sainz; Jane and Gary Gibbons; Tampa Bay Builders Association; Capt. Bill Miller; Julie Jenkins; Jetie B. Wilds Jr.; Former Supervisor of Elections Robin C. Krivanek Sol Davis; Flo and Joe Felicione; Warren Bennett; Joe Voskerichian; Teamsters Local Union No. 79; Ron Llauget; Tampa City Council members Harry Cohen, Lisa J. Montelione and Yvonne Yolie Capin.
Name: Richard “Rich” Glorioso
Age: 68
Residence: Plant City
Occupation: retired U.S. Air Force 27 years, Logistics Group commander, instructor pilot
Political affiliation: Republican
Political experience: 2004-2012 – Florida State Representative for northeast Hillsborough and one precinct in west Pasco.
Office being sought: Hillsborough County supervisor of elections
What separates you from your competitors(s)?
I believe that the foundation of our government starts at the ballot box. Having spent 27 years in the US Air Force protecting our Country and Constitution, I now want to protect the voting process.
The main differences between me and my opponent are that I will bring an unmatched level of integrity, competency and vast proven leadership to the office.
As a retired Air Force Colonel who earned the title of Commander and served in worldwide leadership positions including Flight Commander, Squadron Commander and Logistics Group Commander, I have proven the leadership qualities necessary to run this office.
As a State Representative, I served as Chairman of numerous committees. In these leadership roles I handled complex policy decisions while building consensus and significantly affecting the State of Florida.
In all of my vast leadership experiences, I was able to create efficiencies, serve and lead diverse populations, build consensus on contentious issues and motivate people to the benefit of the mission. I will bring these qualities to the office of Supervisor of Elections.
What do you hope to accomplish in your first six months in office?
I will initiate a review of all processes within the Supervisor of Elections office. It will be driven by staff with voter involvement.
A lack of consistent outreach to diverse communities, the negligible participation of the customer in all voting changes, low voter turnout, costly election errors, internal conflict of interests by office employees and voter rolls that are woefully out of date are just a few of the many places where a comprehensive review are necessary.
It is crucial for the work product of this office to be nearly perfect. That is much more easily accomplished when you have full buy-in from the talented employees of the office. I will institute a true open-door policy that allows subordinates to have clear expectations, a concept of what success looks like and a stake in the outcome. We will be a TEAM.
What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your term?
We will be the best and most efficient Supervisor of Elections office in the State.
By the end of my first term, the Supervisor of Elections office will be fully exchanging best practices with other offices throughout the country. We will be sharing our successes and using successes by others in our ongoing process of continual improvement.
We will be known for our outreach to the schools and to the community. We will not forget any population in the community. These populations will include traditionally disenfranchised groups like foster kids, unaccompanied youth and voters with special needs.
Hillsborough will have the most honest and up-to-date voter rolls in the state. We will work hard to make sure not one ineligible vote is cast and that anyone that is eligible to vote has all of the necessary information to participate in the voting process.
List your political endorsements: United Christians of Florida; Hillsborough Farm Bureau; Association of Builders and Contractors; Senator Marco Rubio; Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam; Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater; Mayor Dan Raulerson; Speaker-Designate Will Weatherford; Former Secretary of State Kurt Browning; State Representative Dana Young; State Representative Jamie Grant; State Representative Shawn Harrison; County commissioners Ken Hagan, Sandy Murman. Al Higginbotham, Victor Crist and Mark Sharpe
