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Today Is Last Chance To Cast An Early Ballot

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By GEOFF FOX, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 26, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - With a close presidential primary looming Tuesday, voters interested in avoiding crowded precincts have one more day to cast early ballots.

Early voting for the presidential preference primary began Jan. 14 and ends at 5 p.m. today.

Brian Corley, Pasco County's supervisor of elections, said he was pleased with the turnout of early voters, as well as the number of absentee ballots that had been cast.

"Throughout the state, there seems to be higher early voter turnout than normal," Corley said. "Lots of supervisors are very, very pleased. Florida's getting a lot of attention. Florida's really the first primary that is a close primary, which is pretty noteworthy."

Also contributing to high early voter turnout is the hotly contested property-tax amendment, Corley said.

By Thursday night, nearly 10,800 people in Pasco had voted early and nearly 5,750 people had cast absentee ballots. Among early voters, just more than 5,100 were Republicans and about 4,300 were Democrats, according to unofficial numbers on the supervisor of elections' Web site, www.pascovotes.com.

Of the county's 268,382 registered voters, 107,010 are Republican, nearly 98,300 are Democrat and just more than 63,000 are unaffiliated.

"There are some folks who register no party, and I don't think they really understand the ramifications of that," Corley said. "I get people who call and say they're independent but want to vote for Mitt Romney or Hillary Clinton" in the primary.

Several county precincts have changed polling places. The following locations will be in effect for Tuesday's presidential primary:

•Precinct 7, formerly at First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel, 29716 State Road 54, is now at Wesley Chapel Toyota, 5300 Eagleston Blvd., Wesley Chapel.

•Precinct 18, formerly at Webster College, 2127 Grand Blvd., Holiday, is now at Buena Vista Manor Civic Association, 5112 Rosada Ave., Holiday.

•Precinct 54, formerly at Day Spring Academy, 9509 Palm Ave., Port Richey, is now at The Salvation Army, 7745 Ridge Road, Port Richey.

•Precinct 57, Lavilla Gardens Civic Center, 5730 Elena Drive, Holiday, is now at Christian Church of Holiday at 5724 State Road 54, New Port Richey.

•Precinct 83, formerly at Knights of Columbus Hall, 5246 Allamanda Drive, New Port Richey, is now at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 5326 Charles St., New Port Richey.

•Precinct 112, formerly at First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel, 29716 State Road 54, is now in the Country Walk community at 30400 Country Point Blvd., Wesley Chapel.

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 948-4217 or gfox@tampatrib.com.

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