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A Tribune staff report

Published: January 29, 2008

Presidential Candidates

Technically, your vote tells the state parties how to allocate their national convention delegates among the candidates.

Democrats Do Vote

The Democratic National Committee stripped Florida Democrats of delegates because the primary is being held before Feb. 5. New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has said if she is the nominee, she would ask for Florida's delegates to be reinstated. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has not taken a position. Still, the winner will get a psychological boost one week before Super Tuesday.

Registered Democrats will see these names on the ballot, although those in gray have dropped out:

Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Hillary Clinton

Christopher J. Dodd

John Edwards

Mike Gravel

Dennis J. Kucinich

Barack Obama

William "Bill" Richardson III

Republicans Get Half Their Delegates

Florida Republicans were supposed to award 114 state delegates to candidates apportioned by their share of the vote. Because the primary is being held before Feb. 5, the national Republican party stripped Florida Republicans of half their delegates and will give the remaining half, 57, to the winner of the primary.

Registered Republicans will see these names on the ballot, although those in gray have dropped out:

Rudy Giuliani

Mike Huckabee

Duncan Hunter

Alan Keyes

John McCain

Ron Paul

Mitt Romney

Tom Tancredo

Fred Thompson

What If I'm Not With Either Party?

You must be a registered Republican to vote in the Republican primary or a registered Democrat to vote in the Democratic primary.

Property Taxes

All registered voters can vote on Amendment 1, which essentially doubles the homestead exemption and allows portability of a homesteader's Save Our Homes benefit. If passed:

It will exempt the third $25,000 of your home's value (from $50,000 to $75,000) from all property tax except for the portion that pays for schools.

It will cost schools $1.5 billion over 5 years, unless lawmakers choose to restore the lost revenue by some other means.

It will not stop local governments from raising their tax rates

What About My Save Our Homes Cap?

Regardless of whether Amendment 1 passes, Save Our Homes, which caps the annual rise in assessments for homesteaded properties, remains intact.

If passed, your current Save Our Homes benefit would apply to a new homestead if you move.

Get blogs throughout the day and results this evening, and go to keyword: Elections, for background.

See reports during the day from 5 to 7 a.m. and at 11 a.m., and updates on results after the polls close.

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