Seminole’s elections office establishes groundbreaking partnership with 211 community information line

SEMINOLE COUNTY, FL – August 3, 2006: The Seminole County Supervisor of Elections and the Heart of Florida United Way today announce a partnership which will provide Seminole County voters with what could be the most unique method of gathering election information in the country.

The 211 line, which is run by the Heart of Florida United Way, will field all incoming calls from Seminole County voters seeking information about where they vote, how they vote, and how to register to vote. The line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is staffed by professionals who speak English and Spanish.

Florida Secretary of State Sue Cobb was at the Seminole County elections office Tuesday, August 1 at 11 a.m. to help kick off the partnership.

Previously, the elections office ran an in-house call center with staffers hired through a temporary personnel service.

Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Michael Ertel says the primary reason for seeking to outsource the phone banking was security, “The best way to ensure an election office is secure is to limit physical access. By placing the phone operation off-site, we have greatly mitigated a potential physical security threat. Plus, if you can dramatically improve service to the voters in the process by teaming up with a trusted friend in the Heart of Florida United Way, then it is really a home run for everybody.”

Heart of Florida United Way President Robert H. Brown says the partnership is a great boost for the organization, “The 211 information line is a great community resource that is used often by people seeking social services or elder care. By expanding the service offering to residents who might not have previously called the line, we are able to educate the entire community on the benefits of easy access to information through 211. After all, how much easier can it be than to press three numbers and get such a wealth of information?”

Ertel continues, “As a steward of the taxpayers’ monies, this makes tremendous fiscal sense. Even though we are more than doubling the hours of availability, providing for 24-hour bilingual access, and creating a more secure election office, this election cycle we’ll save more than $20,000 by teaming with the Heart of Florida United Way.”

He added, “Sometimes government agencies need to go above and beyond to serve their constituents. It’s part of our rejuvenated customer service atmosphere at the elections office to do everything we can to enhance the voting process for residents, while continuing to enhance security. This does precisely that and more.”