TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Prominent Primary Contest Fails To Rouse Pasco Voters

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 27, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Pasco County voters trickled to the polls Tuesday to decide a series of high-profile primary contests for congressional, state and county offices.

Brian Corley, the county's election supervisor, said that despite a few minor problems with five machines at various precincts, voters seemed to adapt well to the new optical-scan system. The machines use a paper ballot, and votes are registered by filling in ovals.

As expected, turnout at the county's 154 polling stations was lackluster.

Of the 282,901 registered voters in the county - including 111,717 Republicans and 104,757 Democrats - about 14 percent cast ballots by press time Tuesday.

The average turnout for the past three statewide primaries was about 20 percent.

"I wasn't happy with the turnout," Corley said. "It should have been much higher."

Not that there was a shortage of candidates.

A plethora of contests played out on Tuesday's ballot, from the nonpartisan school board race to the county commission, sheriff, clerk of court, two judicial seats and state political party committee.

Other races included state Senate and U.S. House.

This year's election is the first with the optical-scan system. Pasco previously used a touch-screen system, but the Legislature mandated in 2007 that counties with the touch screens switch to optical scan.

Most voters seemed to favor the new system.

"I like it," said Earl Buck of Port Richey, who cast his ballot at the Salvation Army building on Ridge Road. "It's not as quick as the touch screen, but I liked it."

Christian M. Wade can be reached at cwade@tampatrib.com or (813) 948-4216.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT