Peter Schorsch
Former House Speaker Chris Sprowls is endorsing Julie Marcus for re-election to Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections.
“I know from experience that the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office is one of the most well-run and dependable in the entire state,” Sprowls said. “Julie Marcus knows what it takes to administer elections with integrity. I am proud to endorse her campaign.”
Marcus also earned an endorsement from Sen. Danny Burgess, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections.
“As Chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections, I know how important it is that voters know their elections are conducted securely,” Burgess said.
“Julie Marcus is an election administration expert who has administered over 300 elections during a career surpassing two decades. She has earned both my trust and the trust of the voters to perform her duties with fairness and in accordance with the law. I look forward to continuing to work with her to secure our elections.”
Other endorsers include Sens. Nick DiCeglie and Ed Hooper; Reps. Adam Anderson, Kim Berfield, Linda Chaney and Berny Jacques; former Sen. Jeff Brandes; and former Reps. Larry Ahern, Frank Farkas and Jim Frishe.
“It is an honor to receive endorsements from Speaker Sprowls, Senator Burgess, and so many other esteemed legislative leaders,” Marcus said Wednesday. “These elected officials work hard to advocate for their communities. I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with these lawmakers to help make our elections more secure.”
Marcus, a Republican, officially filed for re-election earlier this month, noting “significant strides” during her time in office. She’s so far unopposed.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Marcus to serve as the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in May 2020. She quickly announced she would seek election to the office after that appointment. She won her first race for the seat that November.
This will be Marcus’ first re-election campaign.
Marcus succeeded longtime Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark, whose retirement prompted Marcus’ appointment.
Her career spans more than 20 years in the county’s election administration. She has overseen more than 300 local and more than 25 countywide elections and has directed numerous machine and manual recounts. Her résumé also boasts experience with post-election audits and the implementation of new voting systems.
Marcus has also spearheaded advancements in voter registration list maintenance, and her initiatives have sought to improve transparency, including through the acquisition of an audit system that verifies each vote across all contests and precincts.
Marcus is a certified Elections and Registration Administrator through the Election Center and Auburn University and is an active member of the Association of Florida Supervisors of Elections.
She currently serves on the Cybersecurity Task Force where she leads as the Vice Chair of Administrative Rules. She previously served on the group’s Education Committee. Marcus also serves on the county’s Business and Technology Board.
Marcus served as Clark’s chief deputy for eight years. As of her initial appointment, she had been with the office of the Supervisor of Elections for 17 years, including roles ranging from outreach manager and election services coordinator to deputy supervisor.
