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Voters Can Strike Back Against Abuses By Write-In Candidates

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 21, 2008

When write-in candidates manipulate the election process by slamming precinct doors on voters, as they've done to 280,000 people in Pasco and Hillsborough counties this election season, it's time to fight back.

And it's simple to do: Become a member of the party whose primary would have been open to all voters if not for shams by write-ins, who don't even have to follow normal qualifying procedures.

You can always switch back after the election.

Changing affiliations, or adopting one, is an above-board way to vote in primaries that, for all practical purposes, will decide who takes office. And that's what Florida voters had in mind when they amended the state Constitution in 1998 to create universal primaries.

Unfortunately, under a loophole in the law and a 2000 ruling by state elections officials, write-ins can sign some papers and single-handedly close a primary, violating the spirit of the law and Constitution. Clearly, the law needs to be changed, though politicians protected by the loophole show no inclination.

Some voters are striking back, and rightly so. Outraged that write-in John Taylor disenfranchised 170,000 voters by deliberately closing what would have been a winner-take-all Pasco Republican primary between county Commissioner Ted Schrader and challenger John Nicolette next month, some residents joined the GOP so they could vote in the countywide race.

Although it's difficult to say exactly how many joined the party to vote in that contest, the Pasco elections' office reports that, as of early last week, 201 nonpartisans, Democrats, independents and others had switched to the Republican Party since qualifying ended June 20 and can now vote in this crucial race.

Some voters in Hillsborough are fighting back, too.

Since qualifying ended, at least 140 Democrats have switched to Republican. The ones who live in District 2 will be allowed to vote in the primary race between county Commission Chairman Ken Hagan and Keystone Civic Association president Tom Aderhold, both Republicans.

That race would have been open to all district voters if write-in candidate Harold F. "Bud" Gleason of Carrollwood Village had not filed three days before the deadline. His candidacy disenfranchises nearly 110,000 voters, which is appalling.

The electorate should not be penalized when candidates from the same party are the only candidates for an office. Voters have every right to change parties or designate one so they can vote in what would have been universal primaries if not for write-in candidates.

It's up to you to decide whether it's worth not being able to vote in your previous party's races.

The deadline to switch for the Aug. 26 primaries is July 28.

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