Award-winning photojournalist, writer, captain and friend to the clean-water cause Rusty Chinnis gives VoteWater a shout-out in the Anna Maria Island Sun:

“What better resolution to adopt this New Year? Vote Water,” writes Chinnis. “The future of fishing, Florida’s natural wonders and the economy hang in the balance.”

He continues: “The health of the environment shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Economic realities aside, we all need clean air and water to survive and prosper. That’s why you’ll find a Vote Water bumper sticker on the front of my car. I vet candidates not by party but by the actions (votes) they’ve taken on issues that affect the quality of the air that I breathe, the water I drink and the fish I pursue.”

He goes on to quote Florida Sportsman Magazine Founder Karl Wickstrom (father of VoteWater Board Chair Blair Wickstrom): “What we have in the state of Florida (and the nation as a whole) is a political problem, not a party issue, but when it comes to fixing the state’s water, the political problem requires a political solution. Democracy isn’t a spectator sport. If you truly want to have clean air, clean water and public officials that represent the public interest instead of the special interest, the people that vote need to be informed.”

And that’s why we do what we do at VoteWater.

Thanks to your support our work made an impact in 2024, and we’ve got even bigger stuff up our collective sleeve in 2025.

We’re introducing a new higher-tier membership program to help step up our game; we’ll update and expand our “Dirty Money Project” and collaborate on ambitious new initiatives with our partners at Friends of the Everglades.

Looming large is the Florida legislative session beginning March 4. We’ll keep you up to date on legislation filed, dig in to fight bad proposals (and support good ones!) and help you make your voice heard.

We’ll also launch more “Deep Dive” investigations, and of course we’ll continue to keep you informed with one of the most comprehensive clean-water newsletters in the business!

So thanks to Rusty for the sentiment, and thanks to YOU for your support. Stay tuned!