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Miami elections chief's partisan statement undermines public trust in her office | Letters

Eroding confidence Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia has apparently forgotten a fundamental principle of democracy: election officials count votes. They don’t declare winners before the process is complete. “María Elvira is the winner, with or without a recount,” Garcia proclaimed as U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar held a razor-thin lead over Democrat Eliott Rodriguez. With or without a recount? That extraordinary declaration came while ballots remained unresolved and a legally mandated recount loomed. Garcia is not a political pundit or campaign surrogate. She is the official entrusted with administering an impartial election. Her responsibility is to safeguard the process, not prejudge its outcome. Perhaps Salazar will ultimately prevail. That is beside the point. When an election supervisor publicly declares a winner before the process concludes, they create an appearance of bias that undermines confidence in the institution they represent. Rodriguez’s request for her recusal is therefore understandable, regardless of whether actual misconduct occurred. Democracy demands more than accurate vote totals. It demands public confidence that every ballot receives fair consideration. Garcia’s reckless pronouncement compromised that confidence. Miami-Dade deserves an election supervisor who understands the difference between administering democracy and announcing its results. The voters decide. Not Alina Garcia. Manny