BY DR. BARBARA J. MCLEAN-SMITH, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ORANGE COUNTY – The Orange County Florida Supervisor of Elections’ Office (SOE) has been in operation since 1921 serving the residents and registered voters of Orange County, Florida. However, since its inception, an exact number of the SOE’s past supervisors is not readily available. Prior to the current supervisor, Glen Gilzean, appointed to the position in April 2024, the former supervisor, Bill Cowles served from 1996 until his retirement in January 2024. Under Bill Cowles, well known to voters and the community similarly, a legacy and a protégé were born and have served untiredly in several capacities. Now, these two women are almost synonymous with the Supervisor of Elections’ Office.
Susan Scatliffe, affectionately known as “Ms. Sue”, by employees and visitors alike, currently dons the title of Customer Relations Manager. Ms. Sue has been a constant at the SOE since 1990. She started as a “Temp” placed by the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). Ms. Sue’s determination and drive to satisfy the dream her parents had for her led her to work hard to prove that she could accomplish her goal of living in America.
Ms. Sue relocated to Orange County (Orlando) in 1983, a transplant from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands at the age of 16. Her parents wanted Sue to have a life of opportunity and accomplishment. Susan attended Evans High School where she graduated in 1985. After high school graduation, Sue worked in various capacities to include “The Golden Arches” at McDonald’s. Ms. Sue lived in temporary housing where she paid $40 weekly to include a bed, lunch and dinner meals. Ms. Sue continued to work in various temporary positions from 1992 through 1993. In 1994, Ms. Sue’s fate changed. She was hired in a permanent position on 12/15/1994 by the late Betty Carter, Orange County Supervisor of Elections.
Ms. Sue began her new position as one of the “Data Darlings” where she typed voter information and administered an oath to each voter that would allow them to cast their votes. That position was soon entitled “Voter Services Clerk.” In that position, Sue served as a “Lead’ from 1995-2003. As Ms. Sue’s service, knowledge and experience continued to climb, so did her promotions. Sue owns an operational knowledge of each department in the Orange County Supervisor of Elections’ office. She has managed the operations of Early Voting, the Phone Bank and the Front Counter. If you’ve ever visited the office at 119 W. Kaley Street, then you know it is a well-oiled machine.
Ms. Sue has supervised hundreds of people, mostly female, during her tenure. She is a constant throughout the SOE. She reports that “the most rewarding aspect of her job is in helping others, being a mentor and serving homeless folk.” Her greatest aspiration is to help others become successful. Ms. Sue passionately speaks of how others have helped her (especially her high school guidance counselor, Ms. Holt). She says, “My life was impacted, and I want to impact the lives of others; my greatest success has been to see the life journeys of others whose lives I have touched.” One such person is her protégé, Lymari Perez, SOE Early Voting Coordinator for the past 10 years.
Protégé, Lymari Perez, is a transplant from Puerto Rico to Burlington, NJ at age twelve. She attended public schools in New Jersey where she graduated from Rancocas Valley High School; Lymari also landed her first job at Rancocas Valley High School upon her graduation, Class of 2000. Later that year Lymari and her family relocated to Kissimmee, FL. where she matriculated at Florida Metropolitan University which is now known as Everest University. Lymari earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Business Management.
Lymari has worked in several positions where she served people of all walks of life. One of her preferent positions was that of Human Resources Coordinator at the Orange County Clerk of Courts, downtown Orlando, Florida where she worked under The Orange County Clerk of Courts, Lydia Gardner.
As a young person, Lymari dreamed of working in Law Enforcement. Like “Ms. Sue”, Lymari worked in several temporary positions through Kelly Services until November 17, 2014, when she was hired in a permanent position by then Orange County Supervisor of Elections, Bill Cowles.
At the SOE, Lymari has held the position of Customer Services Representative where she supervised 12 Early Voting locations, initially. Inclusive in this position, she served and assisted the voters either registering to vote or updating existing records, cancellations for voter registrations and many other elements of the voting process. Leading the Phone Bank, Vote-By-Mail and supervising 45 people during two presidential elections, were among the most challenging; every angle of the voting procedures and process had to be viewed from varying perspectives and processed efficiently.
Efficiency remains a mainstay. Lymari, is the Election Coordinator of Early Voting. This position requires proficiency, patience and positivity. Before the 14 day Early Voting period, every aspect of the process must be rendered. Contract acquisition and working alongside the Technical Services Department are essential in setting up a polling site. Assembling supplies, from paper clips to furniture for 25 Early Voting locations is a daunting feat. As a voter, you would never know the amount of work required to make sure the voter enjoys a pleasant experience while casting their ballots. Everything possibly needed to run an office and Early Voting site from a waste basket to Clerk binders and “Pick and Pull” ballots are counted and assembled. Lymari’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, supervising an Early Voting Assistant, seven EV Leads, who are assigned 3-5 voting locations to manage, housing up to 375 temporary election employees. All temporary employees are trained to ensure that they know procedures for operating a polling place, how to manage public relations, how to enhance the integrity of the voting process including a cursory knowledge of Florida State Statutes relative to the Electoral process. Each facet within the polling site is designed to assure a secure voting encounter. All “temporary employees” are afforded up to five (5) days of face-to-face, hands-on training. These employees include Clerks and Assistant Clerks, Tablet Operators known as those who “check-in” each voter, Greeters and DS 300 operators, those who assure that each ballot is fed into the tabulator (counting machine) properly and Poll Deputies. Please note, Poll Deputies are certified by the Orange County Sheriff Department.
A tedious and demanding part of Lymari’s responsibilities include checking and approving time sheets for all employees and invoices for all police/sheriffs who staff and escort ballots back to the SOE daily. The process is demanding but secure to maintain the integrity of the voting process. Lymari is a member of the Election Media Team and is responsible for proofing ballots in English, Spanish and Express Vote audio for each election.
When asked, Ms. Sue and Lymari, what changes would they like to see in the voting process? Although interviewed separately, they both responded similarly, “more advanced technology to expedite the voting process. Technology over the past several years has enhanced the security of the vote alleviating much of the skepticism voters often voice.
The Legacy, Susan Scatliffe and the Protégé, Lymari Perez see their work as their ministries. Ms. Sue’s mantra is that “we are put here to help others; success comes whenever you impact the lives of others and help them to become successful.”
Lymari’s favorite scripture Isaiah 58:10 KJV “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as noon.”: Helping others and speaking well of them are not only the right things to do, it is also a form of blessing in our own lives.”
