We have 33 days before the election on November 3^rd.  What can you do in 33 days?  Get Out The Vote (GOTV)!  Focus on those you know who are 50 & under.  This is an under-voting age category.  But all voters and their votes are important.  Explain how important voting is to their future.  Voting on local candidates impacts their daily life. 

Diane Preston Moore and I are making numerous community presentations on the Amendments, both in person and by Zoom.  If you belong to a community group that would like to hear this presentation, we are happy to schedule one.  Reach out to me at President@lwvcolliercounty.org.

Now that we have detailed Collier County statistics about participation in the 2026 Primary Election, we can see some key facts to keep in mind for the November General Election.

• Fewer voters participated. Official turnout fell from 29.8% in 2022 to 26.4% in 2026. Collier County had nearly 13,000 more eligible voters, yet 5,422 fewer ballots were cast.
• Vote-by-mail lost substantial ground. Mail ballots accounted for 54.2% of votes in 2022 but only 43.7% in 2026, while early voting increased substantially. However, 69% of requested mail ballots were returned and counted.
• Turnout declined across party lines. Compared with 2022, turnout fell among Democrats, Republicans and voters with no party affiliation.
• Older voters had an outsized voice. 62.4% of Primary voters were age 66 or older, and 73.7% were age 61 or older. By contrast, only 14.4% were ages 18 through 50, highlighting the continuing challenge of reaching younger voters.
• Where you lived made a difference. Island Walk had the county's highest precinct turnout at 41.6%, followed by Verona Walk at 39.2%. Several other high-turnout precincts were in North Naples, coastal Naples and Marco Island.
• There were encouraging signs in eastern Collier. Ave Maria turnout was about four points higher than in 2022, with increased participation among Democratic and Hispanic voters. In Golden Gate, the number of Primary voters increased about 5% even as participation declined countywide.
• The gender gap nearly disappeared. In 2026, turnout was almost identical: 26.9% for women and 26.6% for men.

The Primary numbers tell us who showed up last time. November gives every eligible voter another opportunity to be counted. Let's get out there to vote!

Much of the attention surrounding Amendment 3 has focused on property-tax relief. The amendment would increase the Homestead Exemption for non-school taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, while reducing the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%.

But a closer look shows that Amendment 3 would do more than change tax exemptions. It would place new rules governing local property-tax revenue and spending in the Florida Constitution. It also requires the Legislature to establish a procedure allowing counties and municipalities to increase their homestead exemptions up to the full assessed value, potentially eliminating their property tax on qualifying homesteads without voter input.

The amendment identifies several permitted uses for property-tax revenue, including public safety, infrastructure, natural resources, debt service and government operations. It also permits other locally approved expenditures unless prohibited by general law, but it gives the Legislature authority to restrict certain local expenditures in the future.

For Collier County, the Florida Association of Counties estimates revenue losses of $44.1 million in Fiscal Year 2028 and $83.3 million in Fiscal Year 2029. Reduced revenue could require spending cuts, reduced services, increased fees or other sources of funding.

The broader issue is Home Rule—the ability of local governments to make decisions based on local needs and priorities. Amendment 3 therefore asks voters to consider not only property-tax relief, but a longer-term question: How much authority over local revenue and budgeting should be placed in the State Constitution rather than left to local governments?

How can voters know their votes are secure? According to Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier, the answer lies in multiple layers of safeguards—and in making those safeguards transparent to the public.

Election security begins well before Election Day. The Supervisor of Elections office conducts year-round voter-roll maintenance, using information from state agencies to identify voters who have moved, died, or become ineligible, while continually processing new registrations and updates.

Vote-by-Mail ballots have additional protections. Voters must provide identifying information when requesting a ballot, and signatures on returned ballot envelopes are verified by trained staff. If a signature does not match, the voter is notified and given an opportunity to correct—or “cure”—the problem before the legal deadline.

Before every election, voting equipment undergoes rigorous testing, including a public Logic and Accuracy test that voters, candidates, political parties, and the media may observe. During early voting and Election Day, trained poll workers follow established procedures, while ballots and voting equipment are protected through documented chain-of-custody procedures and tamper-evident seals.

The safeguards continue after the polls close. Ballots are securely stored, canvassing takes place in public meetings, and Florida law provides for recounts and post-election audits when required.

Blazier emphasizes that perhaps the most important safeguard is transparency. The Elections Office offers tours, presentations and public demonstrations and encourages residents to observe election procedures firsthand.

Her message to voters is simple: election integrity is not something addressed only on Election Day. It is a year-round commitment built on layers of checks, balances, public oversight and transparency.

Public schools not only impact the education and future of our youth but also the reputation of our community and property values. Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) has been rated A by the Florida Department of Education for nine consecutive years. For three years, it has received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO).

These awards reflect the vision and commitment of everyone throughout CCPS. Today, however, public schools are functioning in an environment more challenging than any in recent memory.

A look at trends affecting CCPS:

• Declining enrollment in traditional CCPS public schools, from 43,303 in 2024-25 to 40,211 in 2026-27.
• Increase in Home Education students, from 2,251 in 2022-23 to 2,536 in 2026-27.
• Expansion of state-funded vouchers, valued at $53 million, for 4,910 students in private and religious schools and other options.
• Growth in Charter School enrollment to 6,068 students. Charter Schools are public schools, and state funding follows enrollment.
• Fewer students from other countries, from 2,098 in 2023-24 to 302 in 2025-26.
• Declining birth rate, from 8.9% in 2022 to 8.6% in 2024.

To remain fiscally healthy while maintaining academic excellence, since 2023 CCPS has:

• Reduced 70+ district-level positions, resulting in estimated savings of $5.5 million.
• Implemented $43.3 million in spending reductions.
• Implemented a school staffing formula based on enrollment.
• Initiated an operational hiring freeze across schools and the district office.

Traditionally, public schools have been the “melting pot” of America. Today, their future is being questioned while alternative options are promoted under school choice. Funded with public dollars, these alternatives do not always operate under the same requirements as traditional public schools.

Support our public schools. Join us as an Education Ambassador.

Educationambassadors@lwvcolliercounty.org

Collier County, like most of Southwest Florida, was mainly inhabited along the Gulf Coast, with large quantities of undeveloped land east toward the Everglades. In 2002, Governor Jeb Bush required Florida counties to create Comprehensive Plans specifying how future land would be developed. Collier County designated the eastern 185,000 acres as the Rural Land Stewardship Area (RLSA) and adopted rules for its development. Twelve large landowners within the RLSA formed the Eastern Collier Property Owners (ECPO) and helped develop the initial Comprehensive Plan.

At its inception, the RLSA was zoned for one house per five acres, and it was widely believed this would result in a maximum of 23,000 residences. Since then, however, landowners have taken advantage of development opportunities offered by the Comprehensive Plan. A complex system of Sending Lands, to be environmentally protected, and Receiving Lands, to be developed, was established. Credits were earned by setting aside land, improving environmental quality, and through early-entry bonuses. This resulted in approximately 430,000 credits allowing development on 45,000 acres.

Development was initially slow. Baron Collier Companies began Ave Maria along Oil Well Road in 2007. Following the 2008 housing crisis, development picked up again in 2017-2018 when Collier Enterprises proposed Big Cypress, which became Rivergrass, Longwater, and Belmar. Neal Communities also began SkySail nearby. Additional developments have since been approved, including Alico projects along Corkscrew Road and SR 82, Horsetrails, the Collier Rod and Gun Club, and Brightshore Village.

What does all this mean? Potentially much more traffic, competition for health services that are largely located along the coast, and increased pressure on beach access. The County must also fund significant infrastructure concurrently with construction, potentially requiring additional debt before costs can later be reimbursed through impact fees.

Political speeches these days often include labels like socialist and communist, often as a criticism of an opponent. Sometimes the label seems more intended to alarm than to accurately describe a candidate or a policy. So, it may be useful to pause and ask: what do these terms actually mean?

Socialism is a broad economic and political philosophy that favors greater public, collective or worker control of parts of the economy, rather than leaving everything to private ownership and the marketplace. There are many versions of socialism, ranging from extensive government ownership to systems that rely more on cooperatives and worker-owned businesses.

Democratic socialism adds an important element: change through democratic elections and institutions. It is often confused with social democracy, which generally accepts capitalism but supports stronger regulation, labor protections, expanded health care, social safety nets and efforts to reduce inequality.

That distinction can get blurry in American politics. Some candidates who call themselves democratic socialists campaign mainly for policies that are also common in social-democratic countries.

Communism goes further. In theory, it envisions a classless society in which major economic resources are collectively owned. In practice, countries historically identified as communist, such as the Soviet Union and China, developed highly centralized political systems dominated by Communist parties. China today still has Communist Party rule, but also extensive private business and market activity.

These labels carry a lot of emotional and historical baggage. Socialism remains a negatively viewed term for many Americans: in a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, 60% viewed socialism negatively and 36% positively.

So, when we hear a candidate called a socialist or communist, the most useful question may be a simple one: Is the term being used mainly as an insult, or does it accurately describe a policy being proposed?

As called for in the League of Women Voters of Collier County (LWVCC) Strategic Plan, the Board voted in 2023, after extensive study, to establish the LWVCC Endowment Fund. Its purpose is simple: to help ensure that the League remains strong and financially secure for years to come, while also providing resources to respond to new opportunities and unforeseen needs.

Every Board member made an initial gift to launch the Endowment Fund, and other League members soon joined them. Today, 50 generous members are part of the Helen Franke Legacy Society, established to recognize those who have helped strengthen the League’s long-term future.

We are delighted to announce that the Endowment Fund has now grown to more than $81,000.

An endowment is about looking ahead. It helps provide stability so that future League leaders can continue our work of educating voters, encouraging civic participation and addressing important issues in Collier County.

Every contribution, large or small, adds to that foundation. A gift to the Endowment Fund is an investment not only in the future of the League, but also in the community.

Gifts may be made at Endowment Fund orr by check mailed to PO Box 9883, Naples, FL 34101. For more information, contact Endowment Chair Suzanne Low at Endowment@lwvcolliercounty.org .

Voter Services

Want to get involved to support our democratic election process? Volunteers are needed to help as poll watchers, logic and accuracy and canvassing board observers. Plus, there are other ways to help, even for just an afternoon. For more information, contact tinepalmese@aol.com.

Education Ambassadors

We attended all three meetings of the Collier County School Board this month and delivered a statement about the budget at the September 9 meeting. Our statement supported the district but expressed caution about the future and the dangerous depletion of reserves unless the financial picture improves.

Conservation Collier’s Tax Rate Was Cut by the County Commission

On behalf of the Environmental Affairs Committee and the LWVCC Board, a big THANK YOU to everyone who contacted the Collier County Commissioners in support of maintaining Conservation Collier’s millage rate of .2096. Commissioners received hundreds of emails, and 30 people, including the League, spoke at the final budget meeting on September 17.

Despite this strong public support, Commissioners voted 3-2 to reduce the millage rate to .1772, cutting Conservation Collier funding by $5.5 million to approximately $30 million at a time when several properties have been approved for purchase.

The reduction helped the county achieve a “rollback” tax rate, generating about the same overall tax revenue as last year while lowering the county millage rate. Commissioners Hall, Kowal and McDaniel supported the cut, saying Conservation Collier has sufficient funding and noting that the average household will save about $13 per year.

Commissioners Saunders and LoCastro opposed the reduction, arguing that the small individual tax savings did not justify cutting land-conservation funding and that savings could be found elsewhere in the county budget.