A nurse is taking on the incumbent for the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections position

Democrat Kim Barton is running to be reelected to a third term as Alachua County Supervisor of Elections. She's served as supervisor since voters first elected her in 2016. Her challenger is Republican Judith Jensen, a practicing registered nurse who is the current Alachua County Republican Executive Committee secretary.

With early voting in Alachua County starting Monday, and general elections around the corner on Nov. 5, here is some information to read on the candidates before entering the booth.

Both candidates were sent questions to answer over email. Jensen responded and her answers were used for the Q&A that appears below; her comments were edited for length and clarity. We relied on public records and previously reported stories to compile similar information about Barton.

Judith Jensen

Jensen, 68, spent most of her life in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in 1977 and a Master of Science in Nursing in 1988. She then moved to Florida and lived in North Fort Myers for seven years. She is currently a resident of High Springs and has been for 12 years now. She and her husband, Calvin, have been together for 47 years and have two sons and one grandson.

Jensen believes being a nurse and the trajectory of her nursing career have prepared her for the job of Alachua County Supervisor of Elections.

"I have held management and leadership positions on busy perinatal units, responsible for education, performance appraisal, competency assurance, etc.," Jensen wrote. "I have worked stressful 12-hour shifts, nights, weekends, holidays, so long hours are part of my life."

What made you want to run for Alachua Supervisor of Elections?

I started by investigating voters who were over the age of 100 on Alachua's roll. The voter disc, provided free every month from the state, listed 212 of them in 2021. I easily found 50 of them for whom good evidence supported their death. The lack of response to this information frustrated me because it came from my "non-official" sources. ... Why were they not investigated within the SOE office, with their access to the Social Security Death Index, Health Department records, Motor Vehicle records, Post Office databases, etc? ... Why were 32,370 voters moved to inactive status in a six-month period in 2023 but no inactives were removed? The frustration of not being able to get answers to these questions made it mandatory that I at least challenge the status quo.

What differentiates you from other candidates?

My opponent stands on her record and experience. But the media reported mistakes and lawsuits involving her decisions despite this. Courts were involved in resolving the Newberry Charter School vote, the GRU referendum, the Single Member District issue and the felons registered in jail. "Zuckerbucks" had to be returned after being accepted while she sat on their advisory board. Candidates were elected who did not live in their districts. By being proactive, and looking for potential fail points, I couldn't do worse! I want pristine voter rolls and utilize the input of citizen researchers who have so much information that currently is not being accepted.

Where does your passion for voting come from?

The 2020 election jolted me out of complacency due to the LONG time it took to come to a conclusion. I had questions about the whole election process, which started me on this journey. I started out alone, found Defend Florida, formed "Impact Alachua," joined the Florida Fair Elections Coalition and tried to find the answer to how trustworthy our elections actually are. We are told Florida is the "gold standard" by our leaders, but there are so many processes that have opportunities for improvement. As a volunteer in Election Integrity, I have spent countless hours and a lot of my own money delving into voter rolls, attending seminars, participating in Zoom calls, making public record requests, networking, etc. I was happiest doing that full-time, but I'm employed as a nurse! I just want to get into that office so I can really dig into processes that are unavailable to the public. Some of my endorsements are on my website www.VoteJensen2024.com .

What are your policies?

In my career, I was usually the go-to person for nursing policies and procedures. They were developed based on solid research to provide best practice guidelines. If big changes needed to happen to save lives, those changes were made regardless of how hard it was to implement. I would do the same thing in the SOE office. If a process is flawed, it needs to be fixed to best serve the voters.

What do you want to keep the same or change if you are elected for this position?

I have worked with many fine employees of the SOE office, as a poll worker, poll watcher and observer at canvassing. They are dedicated and knowledgeable, so they are highly valued resources for continuity. I would make a thorough assessment of each job description and the productivity standards associated before deciding what processes could be improved. I believe in hand-count audits to establish the accuracy of the Dominion voting machines used in our county.

What is your view or what you feel is important on abortion, marijuana, and gun rights?

There are many facets to consider on these issues, so everyone should read the amendment descriptions carefully before making such important decisions. I have spent over 40 years protecting babies, however, caring for tiny 23 + weekers and nursing them until they went home, so I am a firm believer in giving babies a chance to live. Representing many foster children as a volunteer in the Guardian ad Litem program with home visits and in court has shown how they can find loving homes and thrive. Our right to bear arms is constitutional, and I find value in both sides of the marijuana issue, so the voters need to decide how our state proceeds.

What is something you want voters to know?

I don't want ANY voters to be disenfranchised. When I worked as an EVID operator, checking in voters, there were many who had gone to the wrong polling place. People can't assume that the polling place they utilized in the past will be unchanged since about a dozen are now different, many churches pulled out after North Gainesville Baptist was sued. There are lots of resources on the VoteAlachua website – take the time to look up your address and the sample ballots before you vote. Also, consider becoming part of elections as a poll worker, poll watcher, or campaign volunteer, or attend canvassing board meetings, envelope signature comparison sessions- or just help someone get to the polls who needs transportation.

Kim A. Barton

Barton, 62, was elected in August 2016 and ran unopposed in 2020. She is the first Black person to serve in this position in Alachua County.

Barton was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. She attended Connors State College in Warner, Oklahoma, on a basketball scholarship. She was named a First-Team NJCAA All-American. She was then recruited to play MCAA Division I women's basketball by Oral Roberts University then-head coach Debbie Yow, which ultimately led Barton to Gainesville and becoming a "Lady Gator." When Yow later became head coach for the University of Florida women's basketball team, Barton went with her.

She graduated in 1985 from UF's College of Journalism and Communications with a bachelor's degree in advertising. Her experience with the office of the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections began in 1993, when she started working there and became its first outreach coordinator. She was then promoted to outreach director and served in this position until her she was elected into the supervisor position in 2016.

Barton gives credit for her voting passion to her parents. She says they were actively involved in the civil rights era and were active community organizers. Her parents also participated in voter registration efforts and get-out-the-vote.

Barton is a member of the Florida Supervisors of Elections and has served as a board of director, among other responsibilities on various committees. She is also a member of the Election Center and the greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce. She joined the UF University Athletic Association Board of Directors in 2020 and was appointed as a Board Alumnus Member of Oak Hammock at the University of Florida in 2022. Additionally, she is a Master Florida Certified Elections Professional.

Barton and her husband James, a retired state of Florida correctional officer, are active members of Gainesville's Compassionate Outreach Ministries.