A Live and Lively Election Event

When Marco Island and Naples residents need information on the November 3 General Elections, there are a lot of places to look. Approximately 75 people, however, chose to turn to the Democratic Women’s Club of Marco’s (DWCMarco) October 13 meeting as one of their sources. The meeting was held in person after several months of online “Zoom” meetings to accommodate members and guests who leave Florida for the summer. 

They brought with them a spirited energy and almost 95 lb. of much needed and requested food product donations for Our Daily Bread, a Marco Island food pantry, to help fight food insecurity across our community. 

At the start of the meeting, each of the six candidates for Marco Island City Council (Jason Bailey, Dennis Bartolucci, Darrin Palumbo, Chris Ricci, Teri Sommerfeld, and Rick Woodworth) had an opportunity to present their backgrounds, experiences, and visions for Marco Island during the meeting. Voters will choose three of the candidates to round out the seven-member council on election day. Information on each of the candidates is widely available on various local and national political websites. 

DWCMarco board members then reported that they have recruited a full contingent of volunteers for Voter Protection positions for the upcoming election. All these positions require training to participate. Voter Protection positions are comprised of:

Ballot Curers – People who notify voters of issues with their ballots and provide them with information to correct those issues.

Poll Watchers – People who observe activities at a polling place to guard against illegal voting, fraudulent counting of ballots, and other violations of election laws.

Poll Greeters – People who stand or sit outside of the polls and work closely with the Poll Watchers inside the polls. Poll Greeters support voters who have unanswered questions about the voting process, assist voters who have been denied a ballot, and report voter intimidation efforts going on outside of the polls.

“Steering Wheel Brigade” – similar to Poll Greeters, Steering Wheel Brigade volunteers travel in and work from their cars at various polling sites to assist voters and actual on-the-ground Poll Greeters with information and questions. They can be deployed to any polling place where additional support is needed. 

Kim Finer, candidate for Florida Representative for District 81 and a loyal supporter of DWCMarco, attended the meeting and graciously responded to DWCMarco’s request to say a few words about her candidacy.

To wrap up the meeting, the group, led by DWCMarco board members and Collier County Democratic Executive Committee Chairwoman Jane Schlectweg, reviewed the General Election ballot and fielded questions from members and guests about candidates, referenda, and proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution. 

DWCMarco – Join Us!

The Democratic Women’s Club of Marco Island is a force for good, proving that when neighbors unite with a shared purpose, lasting change is possible. Whether through advocacy, volunteerism, or simply showing up, every effort contributes to a stronger, more just community. We welcome women and men from Marco Island, Naples, and the surrounding areas.