VoteWater

2025 Impact Report: How your support helped VoteWater make a difference

December 2, 2025

It’s been quite a year. It began with the battle over the future of Florida’s state parks and Big Sugar’s proposed rock mine in the Everglades Agricultural Area. It concludes, now, with a new EPA proposal to eliminate crucial wetlands…

VoteWater endorses Ken Russell for Mayor of Miami

October 2, 2025

Biscayne Bay is in crisis, and the next Mayor of Miami has their work cut out for them. Ken Russell gets it — and that’s why he’s our pick in the 13-way race for the city’s next Mayor. Russell, a…

Become a ‘WaveMaker’ – and help us make waves!

January 9, 2025

When VoteWater was founded in 2013 as Bullsugar.org, our bare-knuckled advocacy reflected the community’s outrage at toxic algae and the political environment that produced it. We built a movement and demanded change; we made waves. But the fight for clean…

Here’s how VoteWater made an impact in 2024

December 3, 2024

2024 was a big year for the clean-water cause, marked by elections, the publication of our “Dirty Money Project,” a huge controversy over a plan to develop Florida’s state parks and more. Here’s a look at where VoteWater made an…

‘Dirty Money Project’ in the headlines

October 17, 2024

VoteWater’s “Dirty Money Project” is making news across the Sunshine State. First, Executive Director Gil Smart’s Oct. 4 op-ed in the Miami Herald explained how “dirty money” to dirty politicians is a root cause of dirty water. Then, just this…

VoteWater endorses Brian Mast for Congress

October 16, 2024

VoteWater, a South Florida clean-water advocacy group, has endorsed U.S. Rep. Brian Mast for Congress. Mast, a Republican seeking his fifth term in Congress, has been endorsed repeatedly by VoteWater and its predecessor, Bullsugar.org, since he first ran in 2016.…

Who’s getting Big Sugar money this election cycle? Here’s the list

July 25, 2024

**UPDATED** We goofed! There’s even more Big Sugar campaign cash out there than we thought! Due to a glitch in the search process, we underreported — by more than $1 million! — the amount of money given by Florida Crystals…

Meet VoteWater’s Gil Smart: “I didn’t come to paradise to watch it be destroyed”

July 11, 2024

Welcome to “Meet VoteWater,” an occasional feature spotlighting the people behind the advocacy. VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart always wanted to live at the beach. But when the Pennsylvania native moved his family to Martin County during the algae-clogged “Lost…

Great turnout for VoteWater town hall in Sewall’s Point

March 25, 2024

Our community event on the discharges from Lake Okeechobee filled the Sewall’s Point Town Hall last Thursday, with dozens of engaged citizens turning out to learn about the problem – and what they can do about it. Thanks to all…

VoteWater Deep Dive: This project could clean water going into Lake O, but local residents oppose it. Now what?

December 7, 2023

Work on a large stormwater treatment area to cut the flow of polluted water into Lake Okeechobee has been put on hold while the South Florida Water Management District reviews concerns that the project could cause flooding and airplane crashes.…

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