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Turnout Turnabout

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By RONNIE BLAIR and DAVID SOMMER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 30, 2008

Pasco County voters turned out in higher numbers than anticipated Tuesday as they cast ballots in presidential primaries and on a property tax amendment.

Brian Corley, the supervisor of elections, had predicted a turnout of 27 percent but said he estimated too low. Tuesday's turnout is estimated to be at least 40 percent.

"I'm glad to be wrong," he said.

The election appeared to run smoothly, Corley said. He said he was especially pleased with how well a new electronic voter identification system, known as EViD, was working.

Pasco is one of several counties using the new method for signing in voters.

Previously, precinct workers looked up voter names in logbooks, which voters signed.

With the electronic system, the voter's driver's license or Florida photo identification card is swiped through the EViD terminal, which reads information on the card's magnetic stripe.

Then the voter signs a touch-pad screen.

"It's extremely efficient," Corley said.

Precinct 110 at the Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex saw a steady flow of voters much of the day, with the largest crowds between 7 and 10 a.m., precinct supervisor Carol Sanborn said.

Sanborn said the precinct experienced a few minor glitches but nothing significant.

Some voters forgot which political party they belonged to and had to be set straight, she said.

"They were used to general elections where it doesn't matter," Sanborn said. "Some hadn't voted in years in a primary."

At the New Port Richey Recreation & Aquatics Center, a steady stream of voters lined up to cast ballots.

"We've had 250 voters, and we're only halfway through the day," Precinct 25 Supervisor Betty Black said.

"This is one of the best turnouts," said Black, who's worked the polls for 22 years.

"I think what brought them out was that amendment," Black said, referring to Amendment 1.

The presidential primary was the key draw for voter Linda Petryniec.

"I just want to get in my vote for the man I want to see in office," she said.

Petryniec, who has owned her home for 25 years, said she voted "yes" on the amendment.

"To us, it won't make a whole lot of difference. But for other people out there it will," she said.

Voter Judy Zynkel bemoaned the Democratic Party's decision to punish Florida for moving the presidential primary into January.

"I'm a Democrat. ... I wanted to come out and vote anyway in case they change their minds" and make Florida's Democratic primary count. "How can they call it a fair election?"

Although she now rents, Zynkel said she, too, voted in favor of the property tax amendment, saying it will benefit other taxpayers.

Reporter Geoff Fox contributed to this report. Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com. Reporter David Sommer can be reached at (727) 815-1087 or dsommer@tampatrib.com.

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