Candidate: Ryan Messer

For the complete candidate bio, photos, news, or to support the campaign, please visit VoteMesser.com. 

Elections Experience & Qualifications

• 15+ years working in the Elections Office / additional election work before
• Assistant Supervisor of Elections (Since 2021)
• Systems Coordinator (2008-21)
• Deputy Supervisor (2007-08) while attending FSU
• Became an Election Day roving technician in 2006.
• Helped with elections (set up polling places, etc.)
• 46 federal, state, and local elections from start to finish, including setup of databases, ballot creation, machine prep and testing, tabulation, polling places, early voting, canvassing, results accumulation, reporting, post-election recounts, audits, and reconciliation (while working in the office).
• 7 recounts, including 3 state-wide at the same time, 2 manual recounts, and 2 local recounts
• Master Florida Certified Elections Professional (MFCEP)
  from the Florida Institute of Government at FSU
• Walton High School graduate 
• NWFSC graduate (AA degree)
• Florida State University (degree in Business Administration)
• Trained and certified in IT and Cybersecurity
• Committed to Election Integrity!
• An established and proven track record!
• Ready to be Supervisor on day one!

 Family, Faith, and Values

• Lifelong Walton County resident
• Married to Cathlynn
• One daughter
• Christian, Conservative, & Common-Sense values
• Deacon, teacher, and IT/AV tech at church
• Enjoy cheering for the Noles, cattle farming, camping, gardening, spending time with family, playing trumpet, lending a hand to those in need, and working with my hands.

Accomplishments 

• Managed and upgraded the VoteWalton.gov website with valuable information and services available 24/7 from anywhere
• Implemented a new state-of-the-art voting system
• Implemented electronic poll registers to increase security, efficiency, and accuracy
• Established 2 new early voting locations to provide options to voters and manage growth 
• Worked to improve the quality of polling places throughout the county
• Implemented high-speed ballot scanners to increase efficiency in tabulation, sorting, and recounts   
• Speaker at Florida State Conference for Supervisors of Elections and Small County Elections Conferences
• Initiated digitizing paper records to ensure retention, free up storage space, and increase efficiency
• Established an online training platform and curriculum for election workers 
• Continuously taking steps to increase our security posture and procedures, working with our federal, state, and local partners
• Improved numerous procedures and processes
• Often assists other counties, including on-site, when needed
• Conducted 3 machine recounts and 2 manual recounts in one election
• Assisted with the development and growth of the Vote-In-Honor of a Veteran program
• Implemented a Kid’s voting platform to assist teachers with conducting elections in the classroom
• Walton County’s liaison for the Florida State-wide Student Mock Election
• Judge for the 4H Tropicana speech contest
• Speaker to numerous students and civic clubs, as well as conducted many elections for student council, class representatives, favorite books, mock elections, and more.

As Supervisor of Elections, Ryan Messer will:

• Keep Walton County elections running smooth
• Ensure election integrity, security, and transparency &
  effectively communicate and demonstrate our efforts
• Maintain friendly service and a real person to answer the phone
• Use common sense approaches to do more with less
• Spend tax dollars wisely
• Maintain a neutral and fair office and voting environment
• Work with partners to improve election procedures
• Promote civics, government, and election education among students and voters
• Use online tools to effectively communicate and provide services to the community
• Use certified and state-of-the-art auditing tools to verify election results

Fun Fact

• Ryan's great, great, great, great grandfather, Alexander Howell, was a voting precinct clerk in Walton County in the first Florida election in 1845. 

For the complete candidate bio, photos, news, or to support the campaign, please visit VoteMesser.com.