Catherine McBreen v. Joe Scott: The Race To Be Broward's New Supervisor of Elections
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Voters in Broward will be selecting a new Supervisor of Elections on November 3.
Republican Catherine McBreen and Democrat Joe Scott are running to be elections chief. Both are laying out their plans for the office to CBS4 News, if declared a winner in November.
"We should also create some mobile facilities. We have a lot of elderly residents in this part of the state. Maybe we can find ways to get mobile voting units to them," McBreen said.
McBreen has hopes of increasing turnout by eventually taking polling places to seniors and getting college and high school students engaged in elections. She believes if the young are motivated, their parents will be as well.
Scott wants to use the office's budget to educate voters, especially on local elections to increase turnout. He also believes social media will play a big part in leading the office in the future.
"With this office, with the budget that we have for education and outreach, we do have an opportunity to improve civics education," Scott said.
RELATED: CBSMiami Digital Voters Guide
There's about 1.2 million active registered voters in Broward. About half identify as Democrat. But the second largest group is made of voters who don't affiliate with a party. The candidates are distancing themselves from being political.
"I did not come from the political establishment in Broward County. Very few people in the political world knew who I was," Scott told CBS4 News.
"This position shouldn't be a political position. I think it should be an administrative position appointed by the partisan committees," McBreen said.
The current elections chief is Peter Antonacci, who is not running. He was appointed to replace Dr. Brenda Snipes. She resigned after her suspension was rescinded following her handling of the November Midterm Election.
"After my five-year service in the military, I've spent the last decade working in technology oriented businesses," Scott said.
Scott has a background in the military. He graduated from The US Military Academy at West Point and even had a tour of duty in Iraq. McBreen has spent 30 years auditing corporations. She's also an attorney.
"I can make sure securities are being traded safely and securely, I think I can make sure votes are being counted fairly," McBreen said.
One other goal from both candidates as elections chief in Broward is to avoid being in the controversial spotlight.
"My goal is to not be a high-profile person and to make sure we kind of fade silently and very efficiently into the future," McBreen said.
"We need a Supervisor of Elections who can integrate those new systems without having the type of hiccups that we've grown accustomed to," Scott said.
Since both are vying to be the elections chief, we wanted to know how active they've been in the voting process.
"I've always voted. In fact, I was in stationed in South Korea in 2006, and I voted by mail from South Korea," Scott said.
"Since I've been an adult, I don't think I've ever missed a chance (to vote)," McBreen said.
Whoever wins, will get paid $178,000 a year.
Click here for more information about Joe Scott.
Click here for more information about Catherine McBreen.
