There are three certified candidates, and one write-in, on the primary ballot for the Supervisor of Elections post for Collier County. All are Republicans, so the election will be open only to registered Republican voters.
Incumbent Melissa Blazier has worked in the office of the Supervisor of Elections since February 2006. She was appointed Supervisor by Governor DeSantis in 2023 when her predecessor left the job. She explains that the position is run according to Florida statute, and that she will continue to set priorities based on that.
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“I think that over the next few years that we need to continue to increase voter registration efforts,” BLazier said. “We need to continue to follow Florida statute as it relates to list maintenance. We're cleaning and really removing and inactivating and making updates to voter records on a daily basis. And then, voter outreach aspects. You know, Florida statute is pretty limited in what we're required to do by law. And I think that we really go above and beyond that in Collier County. And I would like to continue to expand upon, upon the voter outreach and education aspects that we already continue to do. And finally, elections administration.”
Also running is Tim Guerrette, who began his law enforcement career in 1990 and rose the rank of Chief of Operations at the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. Guerrette retired in 2021. He describes his priorities this way:
“Like most people right now, or several people right now, throughout the country, I think they have a lack of confidence in the election process,” Guerrette said. “And as a Supervisor of Elections, I think that’s one of the main components of the duties is to bring that confidence back. And keep that confidence within the community. Obviously, without a doubt, we always have to be proactive when it comes to fraud. We are always concerned about making sure that when people vote, number one it counts, and that people that aren’t supposed to be voting aren’t voting.”
Guerrette went on to say that, despite his statement, he had no evidence of fraud in Collier County elections.
Third candidate John Schaffel and write-in candidate Edward Joseph Gubala did not respond to requests for comment.
Early voting for the primary election is August 10-17. The primary election is August 20. For more information about Collier County elections, go to Colliervotes.gov.
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