Just Do Your Job

Tensions are rising and anxiety pervades. Most of us get up anyway and attend to our responsibilities. After all, life goes on, but we have jobs to do and we do them.

But it seems many people may be asking questions:

Do I, an Anna Maria voter, fill in my absentee recall ballot, stick it in an envelope and send it in or not? After all, I take my vote seriously and I expect my government to take my vote seriously. I am ready and willing to do my job as a voter.


Do I, as Mayor of Anna Maria, plan for an election in two weeks and do I commit the manpower and resources now to make it happen? After all, I am accountable to my constituents and I have a city to run. I am ready and willing to do my job as the Mayor.


Do I, as Supervisor of Elections, set aside dozens of other pending races to dedicate time and expertise, people and man hours, to this recall race in Anna Maria? After all, it is just one of many elections but it is just as important as each of the others. I am willing and ready to do my job as Elections Supervisor.


Do I, as a duly qualified candidate in the recall election, campaign for the position, calling folks, walking streets, answering questions and giving the voters a choice? After all, I qualified for the office to give the voters that choice, should the election even happen. Campaigning for office is not a job but I assure you I approach it as if it were a job. And I am ready and willing to do my job.

The qualifying period for the recall election lasted nine days. Wars have been fought and won in six days. You can walk from Key West to Miami in four days, drive to California from Anna Maria in five days and cross the Atlantic Ocean on a cruise in six days, easy. The Florida Bar exam takes three days. Heck, God took six days for creation which earned him that rest on the seventh.

Judge Edward Nicholas has had eleven days since the hearing on August 12th to review this recall matter and prepare his order. The case has been on his docket since May 24, 2010, exactly three months. He has been provided extensive legal memoranda by both sides setting out case law, statutes and contested issues on three occasions. He has heard articulate and exhaustive legal arguments twice in open hearing and has had access to the extensive appellate briefs filed by the parties which succinctly and competently frame the issues for him.

At the conclusion of the hearing on August 12th Judge Nicholas made it clear to all in attendance that he understood the gravity of the issues and how important his ruling is to so many. He vowed to consider the matter and to rule expeditiously. He is now way beyond “expeditious” and, yes, much hangs in the balance politically. But more importantly, the time and resources of those who serve the voters and the voters themselves are being held hostage. The delay is simply unwarranted and unexplainable.

Do your job Judge Nicholas. Everyone else has.


Bill Yanger