Jose Elias-Torres is running as a write-in candidate for Lake County Commissioner District 2.

A county commissioner is one of five members of the Lake County Board of County Commissioners. Commissioners make decisions affecting roads, infrastructure, land use, public safety, emergency services, county services, budgets, taxes, long-term planning, and many other countywide issues.

Election Day for the 2026 General Election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For official election dates, voter-registration deadlines, early voting dates, vote-by-mail deadlines, polling locations, sample ballots, and any updates, confirm directly with the Lake County Supervisor of Elections at LakeVotes.gov.

It means Jose’s name will not be printed as a candidate option on the ballot.

To vote for Jose, voters must find the Lake County Commissioner District 2 race on their ballot, use the write-in option for that race, fill in the bubble or oval, and write his name clearly.

The name to remember is:

Jose Elias-Torres

No. Jose’s name will not appear as a printed candidate option on the ballot.

That is why voter education is so important. Voters need to know his name before they vote, find the Lake County Commissioner District 2 race, fill in the write-in bubble or oval, and write his name clearly.

To vote for Jose:

1. Find the Lake County Commissioner District 2 race on your ballot.

2. Fill in the bubble or oval for the write-in option.

3. Write: Jose Elias-Torres

District 2 race. Fill the bubble. Write Jose Elias-Torres.

For a write-in vote, voters should not only write the name. They should also fill in the bubble or oval next to the write-in option for the Lake County Commissioner District 2 race.

The clearest way to vote is:

Fill the bubble. Write Jose Elias-Torres.

The clearest and safest way to vote for Jose is to write his full name:

Jose Elias-Torres

Voters should write the name as clearly and completely as possible. A small spelling mistake may not automatically mean a vote will not count if voter intent is clear, but voters should not rely on that.

The campaign’s recommendation is simple:

Write it clearly. Write it fully. Jose Elias-Torres.

No. Even though Jose is running for Lake County Commissioner District 2, Lake County Commissioners are elected countywide.

That means voters across Lake County may vote in this race, not only voters who live inside District 2. If the District 2 commission race appears on your ballot, your vote matters.

For questions about your ballot, confirm directly with the Lake County Supervisor of Elections at LakeVotes.gov.

County Commissioners make decisions that affect all of Lake County. The Board of County Commissioners addresses issues connected to growth, roads, infrastructure, land use, public safety, emergency services, taxes, county services, budgets, water, drainage, and long-term planning.

That is why this District 2 race matters to families, seniors, homeowners, renters, small-business owners, farmers, caregivers, and residents across Lake County.

Jose is personally registered as a Democrat and is running as a write-in candidate for Lake County Commissioner District 2.

His campaign is focused on practical local issues and doing what is right for Lake County residents: protecting the character of our communities, demanding responsible planning, supporting public safety, making county government easier to work with, respecting taxpayer dollars, and making sure seniors and families are not left behind.

Jose is running because Lake County is home, and the people who built their lives here deserve to be protected, heard, and respected.

Our lakes, trees, farms, rural communities, small businesses, neighborhoods, and natural beauty are not an afterthought. They are part of what makes Lake County special.

Jose believes Lake County can plan for the future without making life harder or more expensive for the people already here. Before major growth moves forward, residents deserve clear answers:

• Are the roads ready?

• Is water and drainage capacity ready?

• Can Fire/EMS, public safety, and county services keep up?

• What will it cost over time?

• Who will pay for it?

Jose is running to bring a prepared, accountable, people-first voice to the Lake County Board of County Commissioners.

No. Jose is not against growth, and he is not running to stop all development.

Jose bought a new build in Minneola and openly recognizes that he is part of Lake County’s growth. He understands why families are drawn here. He also understands why many residents are frustrated when development moves faster than roads, water, drainage, public safety, healthcare access, and county services.

Jose’s position is simple:

Growth should not come at the expense of the people already here.

He will advocate for responsible planning before major growth moves forward, infrastructure that keeps pace, public-safety readiness, clear long-term cost analysis, and respect for the character of existing communities.

I am not here to stop progress. I am here to make sure progress does not come at the expense of the people already here.

Yes, but Jose is honest about the role. A county commissioner is one voice on a five-member board.

Jose cannot promise to control every outcome alone. He can promise to come prepared, listen to residents, study the issues, ask hard questions, insist on clear answers, and advocate for transparent and responsible decisions.

He will push for decisions that protect Lake County’s character, prepare for real infrastructure and public-safety needs, respect taxpayer dollars, and keep residents at the center of county government.

Responsible planning means the county should not approve first and ask questions later.

Before major growth moves forward, residents deserve clear public answers about roads, traffic, water, drainage, Fire/EMS, public safety, county services, long-term costs, funding sources, timelines, and accountability.

Responsible planning means:

• Infrastructure should be built before or alongside development, not years later.

• Roads, water, drainage, public safety, Fire/EMS, and county services must be part of the decision before major growth moves forward.

• The county should consider whether development can be supported by realistic, funded plans.

• Residents should be able to see the public commitments, costs, timelines, and progress connected to major county decisions.

• Existing residents should not be left carrying unreasonable costs created by poor planning.

• Planning and zoning decisions should respect neighborhood identity, rural character, natural beauty, and community input.

Jose’s six campaign priorities are:

1. Honoring Our Community’s Roots

2. Infrastructure and Responsible Planning

3. Fiscal Responsibility and Affordability

4. Public Safety

5. Government Modernization

6. Healthcare Access and Seniors

These priorities are connected by one message:

Protect Lake County’s roots. Demand responsible planning. Respect the people who pay the bills.

Honoring Lake County’s roots means protecting what makes this county feel like home.

It means longtime residents, farmers, families, small-business owners, rural communities, neighborhoods, lakes, trees, open spaces, and natural beauty should not be treated as an afterthought.

Jose believes Lake County can welcome new families while still honoring the communities, land, and character that made people want to live here in the first place.

Protecting Lake County’s roots is not about refusing all change. It is about making sure change respects the people and places already here.

Growth should bring opportunity, not erase the character of the communities people love.

Fiscal responsibility means making sure every taxpayer dollar has a clear purpose, major costs are understood before commitments are made, and residents can see what they are getting in return.

Jose’s standard is simple:

Every dollar must have a job.

Affordability is not only about the price of a home. It is also about whether county decisions add avoidable pressure to family budgets through poor planning, unnecessary tax increases, delayed infrastructure, strained public services, or long-term costs that were not honestly considered from the start.

Jose will advocate for:

• No unnecessary tax increases on families, seniors, homeowners, renters, and small businesses.

• Clear long-term cost analysis before major projects and commitments are approved.

• Spending tied to measurable outcomes, not vague promises.

• Budgets, major projects, and county commitments that are easier for residents to understand.

• Transparent questions about whether development is meeting its lawful fair-share responsibilities or whether costs are being shifted to existing residents.

Good planning protects both quality of life and household budgets.

Jose believes county government should work for residents, not make them chase answers.

His professional background includes building systems, improving operations, managing teams and budgets, and creating accountability tools. He wants to bring that same practical mindset to county government.

That means advocating for:

• County services that are easier to understand, easier to use, and more responsive.

• Clear performance tracking, transparent dashboards, and public information residents can actually follow.

• Better permitting, communication, service requests, project tracking, and customer experience.

• Technology that improves service and accountability without replacing the human responsibility to answer residents clearly.

Residents should not have to guess where things stand.

Jose believes public safety must keep pace with community needs.

Public safety includes law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, dispatchers, emergency management, safe roads, lighting, storm readiness, emergency infrastructure, staffing, equipment, and response capacity.

Jose will advocate for realistic planning and support for first responders, including Fire/EMS staffing, facilities, equipment, emergency readiness, and the capacity needed to protect residents as communities change.

He believes public-safety readiness must be part of the conversation before major growth decisions move forward.

Supporting first responders means planning responsibly so they are not stretched beyond what any community should accept.

Healthcare is personal for Jose. His mother received a lung transplant, and his husband Timothy is a kidney transplant recipient. Jose knows what it feels like when families have to search, wait, travel, and advocate for care for someone they love.

A county commissioner does not control hospitals, insurance, or the healthcare system alone. But county leadership can advocate, plan responsibly, convene partners, support services, and make sure healthcare access, senior needs, transportation, caregiver realities, and EMS capacity are part of the conversation.

Jose believes Lake County’s future should include healthcare access and senior services, not just new housing.

He will advocate for:

• Healthcare access and senior services as part of county planning.

• Growth discussions that include healthcare infrastructure and emergency-service capacity.

• Aging-in-place resources, caregiver support, transportation needs, and practical coordination with community partners.

• Decisions that respect the dignity, safety, and quality of life of seniors and medically vulnerable residents.

No family should feel invisible while trying to care for someone they love.

You can support the campaign by:

• Voting for Jose.

• Sharing the campaign with your friends, family, neighbors, and community groups.

• Teaching others how to vote for a write-in candidate.

• Volunteering for voter outreach and community events.

• Following and sharing campaign content on social media.

• Contributing through the campaign’s official website.

Every conversation matters in a write-in campaign because voters need to know Jose’s name and how to cast their vote correctly.

Learn more at JoseEliasTorres.com.

For write-in voting information, visit JoseEliasTorres.com/how-to-vote.

Follow the campaign:

• Facebook: Jose for Lake County

• Instagram: @joseforlakecounty

LAKE COUNTYWIDE RACE

ELECTION DAY: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026

District 2 race.

Fill the bubble.

Write Jose Elias-Torres.

Jose’s name will not be printed as a candidate option on the ballot. Voters need to find the Lake County Commissioner District 2 race, fill in the write-in bubble or oval, and write his name clearly.

For official information about your ballot, voter registration, early voting, vote by mail, polling locations, sample ballots, and deadlines, visit LakeVotes.gov.