Van Ostenbridge is wrong. Election ballots are nothing to ‘joke about’ | Letter to the editor

“It was a joke” was Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge’s response to my written concern about his comment at last week’s commission meeting.

A presentation by the supervisor of elections elicited comments about Democrat mail-in ballots and trash cans from elected Commissioner Van Ostenbridge. I know we have elected novices in these positions with a big learning curve but this exchange was way out of line. The disregard for my mail-in ballot and many others was unconscionable.

There are elected leaders across this country trying to make it harder to vote and off hand “jokes” about my ballot are not funny. There are many guidelines and policies for elected leaders to follow in every role. It’s time to understand and apply these before making inappropriate remarks about a citizen’s right

.Let’s think before we attempt to make a joke about anybody’s ballot. As a retired educator, I hope you continue to learn in your new role as my commissioner.

Elaine Graham

Bradenton

This story was originally published June 14, 2021 at 9:51 AM.