Unanswered Signature Questions Raise Concerns Ahead of FCSA Vote

At the February 14, 2026 candidate forum hosted by the Fort Clark Springs Community Council, members were reminded that ballots for the upcoming Board of Directors election must be received by the auditor’s office no later than March 13, 2026 . One board seat is open for a three-year term, and three candidates are seeking election: Joe Ulrich, incumbent John Wylie, and Warren Thompson.

What began as a routine reminder about deadlines and ballot procedures turned into something far more serious. During the forum, election committee members explained that each ballot must be mailed in its own envelope and must be signed. Signatures will be matched to the address label on the ballot. That  process sounds straightforward—until members asked how signatures would be verified for properties owned by legal entities such as LLCs, corporations, or trusts. At that point, no clear answer was available.

Committee members stated that auditors are provided with a list showing an individual’s name along with the name of the legal entity . However, they could not explain how that list is created, how the correct individual is tied to each entity, or how a property owner can confirm that the proper name is on record. As the discussion continued, it became clear that no one present could explain exactly what information is sent to the auditors, how legal entity signatures are verified, or whether members would be notified if their ballot is rejected .

The consequences are significant. If a signature cannot be verified, the ballot is not counted . Members who own property through legal entities left the meeting unsure whether their votes will count at all. As of the time of publishing, no communication has been issued to the full membership addressing this issue .

This is not a minor procedural detail. Over the past five years, FCSA elections have been decided by approximately 800 ballots . In a community election, where turnout numbers matter and outcomes can be close, uncertainty about ballot validation affects confidence in the process itself. In 2024 Fort Clark Springs Association President, Memo Guzman, was elected with a 3 or 4* vote margin over the next candidate.

Every member—regardless of which candidate they support—has an interest in ensuring that votes are handled consistently and transparently. Questions now being asked are simple but important: What signature is considered valid for a legal entity? How is that authorization documented? Can members verify their information before the deadline? Will there be notice if a ballot is rejected? Clear answers to these questions should be provided before ballots are due. Election integrity depends not only on deadlines being met, but on procedures being understood. Members who own property through an LLC, corporation, or trust may wish to confirm how their ownership is listed in Association records and seek written clarification about signature requirements before mailing their ballot. Confidence in the outcome begins with confidence in the process.

*In the 2024 Annual Membership Meeting, the results of the election were read aloud by the representative of the election auditor, with some inconsistency, first stating that Mr. Guzman received 282 votes, compared to 284 votes reportedly received by Mr. Thomas Kovacs; then stating that candidates with the most votes were Mr. Jason Long with 340 votes, and Guillermo Guzman with 288 votes. FCSA President Lisa Vale reread the results and reported Guillermo Guzman receiving 288 votes and Thomas Kovacs receiving 285 votes. Video of the reading can be found online at (52:30 minutes into the meeting) https://www.youtube.com/live/UwaYBtgDsE0?si=mBtDhmbt3nG5sKn1&t=3153