Richard Cimoch has been involved in South Florida’s LGBT community for over two decades, serving on the board of such organizations such as Pride South Florida, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of his activism, political and otherwise. An early supporter of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential run, Cimoch has been a member of the Broward County Democratic Executive Committee, and is a former Secretary of the Dolphin Democratic Club.

Cimoch, a native of Philadelphia, served on the Human Rights Campaign, and is a former Co-Chair of Pride South Florida, as well as the Pride Center at Equality Park. In the August 14th primary, Cimoch is a candidate for Democratic Precinct Committeeman, Precinct 004, which covers the area around west Wilton Manors, from the North Andrews Avenue Bridge, to West Oakland Park Boulevard.

The former Penn State Nittany Lion says that voter turnout is key to his party’s victory, and believes his record as a voter activist will translate to numbers at the polls come November. Cimoch says that since his announcement for precinct committeeman, he has helped a few dozen voters to update their polling eligibility, or to register outright. “I have always been proud of the connection with motivating people to get out and vote, and we will need turnout that’s higher than normal to ensure an Obama victory,” Cimoch says. “Florida is crucial to Obama’s victory, and as gay men and women, we have a lot to lose if he doesn’t win.”