VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Supervisor of Elections office will have a new home in Volusia County.

It comes after a decision by county leaders to approve the purchase of the Gateway Village shopping center at the northwest corner of International Speedway Boulevard and North Woodland Boulevard in DeLand for a new office and warehouse space.

“I think the ease of getting into the office and getting your business done with the Supervisor of Elections will be a lot easier," Volusia County Director of Business Services Jeaniene Jennings said. "Parking will be much better. It's a great central location. It's right on the corner of Woodland and ISB. So, it's a great location."

As election season approaches, Volusia County Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis has been busy not only preparing for this year’s elections but also finding a new location for their office.

“We have been looking for a new home since even before we moved into this location,” Lewis said.

The Supervisor of Elections Office is currently at 1750 S. Woodland Blvd. in DeLand, a leased space where the county entered a five-year lease agreement at a cost annually of $261,690, with a 3% rate increase yearly.

Lewis says they have outgrown the place.

“This room (…) can be divided into three different sections (…) Right now, we have it open, and you'll see where we do our vote by mail processing, the canvasing board meets, and early voting happens, poll training happens in here all at different times. Yet some at the same time,” Lewis said. (CHRIS NOTE: Not sure why the (...)

When it happens at the same time, she said the room can get crowded, which is a concern.

“Security is, you know, a big-ticket item in elections. You want to make sure it's secure and we keep the integrity of the election intact," Lewis said.

The parking situation is also an issue, as Lewis said they share spaces with other businesses and during elections there aren’t enough spaces. And the spaces that do exist are hard to see.

“When early voting is going on, you know, we have a 150-foot boundary and then we have campaigners that are out there, and parking is at a premium,” Lewis said.

Another concern Lewis shared is the ceiling leaks after a big rain.

“When it has rained before, we have covered this with tarps. You see where they replace some of the tile that we've had in there," she said. "It has not leaked over that, thank goodness, but it has leaked around here and up in here. So, we've been very lucky that it has not hit any major equipment or our server.”

On top of that, right now the SOE’s office and warehouse are located at separate locations far from each other.

“Almost to the Lake County line, so right before the Saint John's River bridge, and it's about four and a half miles from the office,” Lewis said.

At the warehouse, they store and test election equipment and supplies, and they have used most of the space. Currently, the SOE has 17,106 square feet of office space and 9,310 square feet of warehouse space, for a total of 26,416 square feet, according to the county.

“And, you know, that's including top space, not just floor spaces. So, we don't have as much floor space as you would think,” Lewis said.

In terms of security, Lewis said it would be better to have the warehouse combined with the office.

“Well, having it together puts everything under one roof. And it's I feel it's a lot better security wise to have everything together at one location where everybody is together," she said.

But things will change for the better soon, as their lease is up next year. Lewis got approval from the county at their April 16 meeting to buy the Gateway Village shopping center at the northwest corner of International Speedway Boulevard and North Woodland Boulevard in DeLand for a new combined office and warehouse space.

“I feel there will truly be a better use of staff, be more efficient and more effective,” Lewis said.

The center located at 1568 and 1596 N. Woodland Blvd. in DeLand is 71,637 square feet of floorspace and is on approximately 8.57 acres. The purchase price is $8,850,000.

“Even though yes, it is, you know, a big pile of money, I don't take that lightly. But we have been saving over the years for when we did find a space that it wasn't a big chunk to come out all at once,” Lewis said, adding that her office has saved approximately $6 million to help with the purchase.

The county will deposit an initial $50,000 into escrow and then an additional $50,000 will be deposited into escrow at the end of the due diligence period.

The new space will combine the elections office and warehouse, including assuming leases for seven active leases, and one parking lease with the anticipation of filling seven vacant spaces. “It's a win-win,” Lewis said.

The new combination space is 32,051 square feet, adding 5,635 square feet to what the SOE currently has.

According to the county, the estimate to build a new facility at 32,000 square feet at today's construction prices of $650 to $700 square feet is estimated at $20,800,000 to $24,000,000. The purchase option including $2.5 million in repairs (roof, HVAC and buildout) represents a better alternative to building new.

The county will close on the property after a due diligence period. The Supervisor of Elections Office will move to their new location by April 2025.