Full Candidate Statement from Arnold Benjamin “Arnie” Weiss on Entering the Race.

June 6, 2024

I am choosing to enter the race for Supervisor of Elections in Miami-Dade, because none of the current candidates have experience running any type of technology based organization or business.  I have over 25 years designing and developing solutions to securely collect, move, and store data by integrating off-the-shelf solutions that are required to be highly secure and always available.  

My experience working on live remote sports television for ABC, ESPN, and CBS (during which time I was a proud member of the IBEW) taught me the importance of being prepared and hitting deadlines. The broadcast went on the air when it was scheduled to start and not on our time or schedule and any adjustments we needed to make had to  happen in real time without or limiting with full effect, how that impacted the public.

While our method of voting on paper must continue (because it gives voters the ultimate level of confidence) we can and must improve the other processes and technology we employ so we can increase the confidence in our vote counting and audit systems. In addition, we can improve the speed with which ALL voters in the county get through election day by taking a fresh look at our early voting hours and how we can enable voters to vote anywhere in the county on election day just as we allow during early voting.  

We also need to address the issues of voter registration, party affiliation, and low turnout for primaries by highlighting to all of our voters that while being independent is a cornerstone of what it is to be an American; in the State of Florida being an independent means giving up your right to help decide who will be on the ballot when you show up to vote in November.  By doing this, as well as starting to engage voting age and near voting age eligible High School students to register to vote, we can improve the future of voting in Miami-Dade beyond just the performance of our systems and processes. 

Clearly, the people of Miami-Dade deserve more when you consider what is at stake and what this job pays. However, this is only possible when you elect someone like me who can actually take on the work of the existing supervisor and bring a vision for voting in Miami-Dade and the Miami-Dade County Department of Elections that will increase voter participation and confidence in the safety and integrity of all of the processes, systems and outcomes of our elections.