SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
ORLANDO – With eager candidates, an informative presentation on voter registration, and a lively discussion on Florida’s amendments, the Orlando (FL) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, presented Ready! Set! Vote! on September 17 – a forum to educate voters about the upcoming election.
“We want to be able to disseminate this important information to voters and get people actively engaged,” said Dr. RoSusan D. Bartee, President of the Orlando (FL) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. “By getting people involved and actively participating, our organization can help everyone fulfill their rights as citizens.” The event, held at St. Mark AME Church’s Family Life Center, drew about 125 interested attendees. Link member Tanya Wilson, program chair, along with Link members Daphne Smith and Carolyn Washington, chair and co-chair of National Trends and Services, initiated and implemented the effort.
In addition to more than a dozen candidates, including Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain and former State Attorney Monique Worrell who both made quick stump speeches to the attendees, the program put the spotlight on Orange County Supervisor of Elections Glen Gilzean and League of Women Board Member Kathy Sheerin. State Sen. Geraldine Thompson, also a member of The Links, and Orlando City Commissioner Bakari Burns attended the event, which was moderated by Links member Angela B. Starke.
Gilzean spoke about the security and transparency he has promoted throughout the voter registration process and elections since taking office in March, when he was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Gilzean also reminded the audience that vote-by-mail ballot requests must be made every year, which is a change from previous elections. Sheerin, with the League of Women Voters, discussed three of the six statewide ballot measures that are certified to go before voters. The audience learned more about Ballot 1 – A proposed change for school board elections from nonpartisan to partisan beginning in the November 2026 general election and for primary elections nominating party candidates for the 2026 election; Ballot 3 – To legalize the recreational or personal use of marijuana; and Ballot 4 – A provision for a state constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability. Audience members were encouraged to ask questions about the amendments with several candidates also weighing in on the initiatives and the potential impact they may have.
Ready! Set! Vote! is part of Link Up The Vote, a national program to mobilize voters in the African-American community. The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching the lives of African Americans.
The Orlando (FL) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated was founded in 1952 and has several programs of note throughout Orlando, including the Healthy Homestead Wealth Building Initiative, which incorporates community education and fundamental process to prevent the loss of their property; Celebration of The Arts, a showcase of Orlando’s talented youth in performing and visual arts; and a Community Scholarship Forum, a partnership with UNCF and Elevate Orlando. The Chapter has been the recipient of numerous grants such as the Health Equity Ambassador Links (HEAL), which promotes breast and colon cancer awareness.
The organization operates under a five-facet umbrella: National Trends and Services, which sponsored Ready! Set! Vote!; Health and Human Services; International Trends and Services; The Arts; and Services to Youth.
For more information, please email Dr. RoSusan Bartee at [email protected].
