Letter to the Editor, as published in the Citrus County Chronicle April 24, 2020:

When we went into lockdown, quite a few candidates were caught short of the requirement for petitions to be placed on the ballot. Fortunately, I was only 130 or so short, and this week I crossed the finish line several weeks early.

If you’ve not run for office before, or been deeply involved in politics, you may not know that candidates have to collect a substantial number of signatures — 1,094 to be exact — for Board of County Commissioners and most of the other elected Citrus offices. If you choose to not gather petitions, or fall short of that number, you have to pay a filing fee that runs into big money; for me, that would have been $3,786.

Choosing to gather petitions is the better way to do it. Not only is it fiscally prudent, it’s also a great way to meet voters and have conversations about their vision for Citrus County.

If you’re ever asked to sign a petition — we still have some candidates who’ve not crossed the finish line — and you’re a registered Citrus County voter, please do! Party affiliation and whether you even like the candidate shouldn’t matter. It’s not a vote for the candidate, it’s a vote for democracy that gives you more choices come

Aug. 18. — or earlier by mail or early voting. You can then do your research and decide who is the most qualified to do the best job for you and your fellow citizens.

Thank you again to all the tireless volunteers who helped gather petitions, and to each and every one of you who took a few minutes to fill one out for me.

Holly Davis
Hernando