Here's why we must protect Florida elected officials by sealing home addresses
Public access to home addresses of those who are elected to represent constituents may seem harmless, but in today's hyper-partisan times, elected officials are becoming targets of real-world threats and violence. Providing easy access to personal addresses and phone numbers in an era when doxxing and political extremism are commonplace is not a virtue of democracy — it's a security risk.
In an effort to protect elected officials and their families, Florida Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Democrat from Miami and Sen. Jason Brodeur, a Republican from Lake Mary, have introduced Senate Bill 268. The bill would keep personal information of elected officials such as home addresses and phone numbers out of public records.
The bill, which passed the Florida Senate with broad bipartisan support (34-2), shows a recognition by lawmakers that public service should not come at the cost of personal safety. This is not theoretical. During the committee meeting, both Democratic and Republican senators shared stories of being targeted.
Then-Sen. Randy Fine, a Republican from Melbourne Beach who has since been elected to Congress, told the Miami Herald last month that two people have been arrested and imprisoned for threatening him and his family. 'We had to have law enforcement pull up to our house with sirens blaring and everything else,' said Fine. 'I got the joy of understanding what it's like to be important for a few days, as I couldn't go anywhere without a ton of security with me.'
Sen. Barbara Sharief, who is a former Broward County mayor, said she had her home address published on a Ku Klux Klan-affiliated site. 'I was on three months' worth of security protection,' she told the Miami Herald.
These experiences are chilling. Elected officials shouldn't have to go through things like that simply to serve the community.
Some critics argue that there's a risk to transparency and accountability and if the bill becomes law, it could hamper public oversight. For example, if elected officials are allowed to keep their addresses secret, would they be able to run for office in a new district where they don't reside? Those concerns are not unreasonable.
But that overlooks a fundamental principle of government. The government's duty is to protect its citizens and their rights — and that includes elected officials.
SB 268 does not remove elected officials from public accountability. Rather, it shields them from intimidation. Elected officials will still be accountable if this bill is approved.
Those who demand unlimited transparency in the name of accountability fail to recognize that privacy is not in opposition to accountability. Transparency has limits, and those limits should be drawn where they protect the basic safety and security of individuals who choose to serve.
The threats against officials aren't just anecdotal but represent a dangerous trend in our increasingly divided society. When elected officials face intimidation, especially in their homes, we undermine the representative democracy we claim to cherish. Conservative principles have always long supported law and order, but when public servants live in fear, there can be no order.
Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home was invaded and her husband bludgeoned, President Donald Trump was the subject of two apparent attempted assassinations, and, recently, there was the arson of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence.
The sealing of public records in SB268 is not permanent. It would only apply while the individual holds office, and it wouldn't shield officials from questions about residency or redistricting. It would still list the city in which the elected official lives.
The safety of our elected officials isn't about whether they are Republicans or Democrats. It's a commitment to ensuring public service doesn't come at the cost of safety.
Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: mmancuso@miamiherald.com
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