With election day right around the corner, many Sharks are preparing to cast their votes on Nov. 8. Although the presidential race has been a hot topic the past few months, voters may be surprised to learn just how much is on their ballot. Not only will voters cast their ballots on commander-in-chief candidates, but also Senate candidates, House of Representatives candidates and proposed amendments to the Florida constitution. With all of these options, it can be hard to stay well-informed about your vote.
Here’s a crash course on what will be on the Florida ballot next week.
US presidential candidates
The presidential race may just be the most talked about item on the ballot this season. You may have seen the debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but do you know about the other candidates running for president?
Here’s the official group of presidential candidates, listed alphabetically by last name, and their vice-presidential counterparts.
Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley: Representing the Constitution Party, Castle and Bradley’s platform includes a strong adherence to the Constitution, withdrawal from the United Nations and a pro-life stance, according to Castle’s campaign site. For more information on the Castle/Bradley ticket go to castle2016.com.
Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine: Clinton and Kaine represent the Democratic Party. According to Clinton’s campaign, she plans to preserve Medicare and social security, make all community colleges free and implement a tax system where the wealthy and corporations pay more. For more information on the Clinton/Kaine ticket go to hillaryclinton.com
Rocky De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg: De La Fuente and Steinberg represent election reform. According to De La Fuente’s campaign site, his platform includes education reform, withdrawal of military force from foreign countries and finding alternatives to nonrenewable energy. For more information on the De La Fuente/Steinberg ticket go to rocky2016.com.
Gary Johnson/Bill Weld: Representing the Libertarian Party, Johnson and Weld believe, according to Johnson’s campaign site, in protecting civil liberties, maintaining internet freedom and allowing state and local government to control education. For more information on the Johnson/Weld ticket go to johnsonweld.com.
Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka: Stein and Baraka represent the Green Party. According to Green’s campaign site, her platform includes free education, including college, increasing minimum wage and making health care more accessible. For more information on the Stein/Baraka ticket go to jill2016.com.
Donald Trump/Mike Pence: Trump and Pence represent the Republican Party. Their platform, according to Trump’s campaign site, includes strong immigration reforms, the repeal of Obamacare and reduced taxes for all, particularly the working and middle class. For more information on the Trump/Pence ticket go to donaldjtrump.com.
US senatorial candidates
This election year, one of Florida’s seats in the U.S. Senate is open. Below is a list of the three leading candidates for the position, organized alphabetically.
Patrick Murphy: Murphy represents the Democratic Party. If elected to the Senate, he said he plans include working toward growing the middle class through the support of small businesses, reforming immigration policies and protecting social security and Medicare. For more information on Murphy’s platform go to murphyforflorida.com
Marco Rubio: Rubio represents Republican Party and is the incumbent senator, meaning he currently hold the senate seat now. According to Rubio’s campaign website, if re-elected to the Senate he plans to promote strong families by adding tax credits for children and removing penalties for married people, allow local and state governments to create their own educational policies and restore intelligence programs that he believes will help fight ISIS. For more information on the Rubio platform go to marcorubio.com.
Paul Stanton: Stanton represents the Libertarian Party. If elected to the Senate his plans include working toward lowering taxes for businesses, ending the war on drugs and eliminating FICA taxes for anyone under the poverty line, according to his campaign website. For more information on Stanton’s platform go to stanton2016.com
State amendments on the ballot
Along with electing officials, voters also have a say on amendments made to the state’s constitution. Here are the issues being discussed.
Amendment 1 and solar energy: This amendment grants the right for consumers to own solar equipment on their property. According to mytimetovote.com, the law does not punish consumers who choose not to install solar equipment. According to bereadytovote.org, a central issue with this amendment is Florida’s ban on purchasing from third-party solar energy providers. This amendment has been widely criticized as being written in a way that is difficult for voters to understand. Overall, opponents of the amendment say the law would hinder solar growth and favor utility companies. Proponents of the amendment say it’s needed to pass regulations that protect both solar power and utility users.
Amendment 2 and legalization of medical marijuana: The law grants the use of marijuana for medical purposes prescribed by a doctor. The law does not legalize recreational use. The legalization of medical marijuana was proposed in the 2014 elections but failed by narrow margins. The difference with this amendment, according to bereadytovote.org, is that this amendment has more precise wording about the medical conditions that qualify for marijuana use. Opponents of the amendment say the law legalizes marijuana under the façade of clinical purposes. Proponents say that the law would allow patients to benefit from the medicinal qualities of the drug.
Amendment 3 and tax exemptions for permanently disabled: This law would grant tax relief for a first responder who is totally and completely disabled as a result of injury while working. First responders are defined as police and correctional officers, fire fighters, EMTS and paramedics. The state legislature unanimously passed this amendment so that it could be put on the ballot. According to bereadytovote.org, there doesn’t appear to be any organized proponents or opponents to the amendment.
Amendment 5 and homestead tax exemption for seniors: This amendment would revise the homestead tax exemption to redefine certain terminology so that individuals who are getting the exemption won’t lose it if property values rise. The tax exemption is applicable for certain senior, low-income and long-term residents, according to mytimetovote.com.
For more information on these amendments go to ballot.mytimetovote.com/florida.html or bereadytovote.org/2016-florida-constitutional-ballot-amendments.
It’s important to note that some parts of the Florida ballot will vary depending on where the voter lives. Refer to the infographic to find out your districts for the U.S. House of Representatives and other varying election topics.
Whether you plan to vote for each item on the ballot, or you just want to vote for the next commander-in-chief, it’s important to do your research to choose laws and representatives that reflect your wants and interests. There’s no doubt that your vote counts.
Infographic: Don’t miss this
Some parts of the ballot will vary based on where the voter lives. Here’s some resources for each of these topics.
US House: To find out what district you are in and who your current representative is go to house.gov.
State Senate: To find your representative for the Florida Senate go to flsenate.gov.
State House: To find your district for the Florida House of Representatives go to myfloridahouse.gov.
For more information on the Florida ballot go to ballotpedia.com or ballot.mytimetovote.com/florida.html.
