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Interest In Primary Election Runs High

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By JULIA FERRANTE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 18, 2008

Hotly contested local elections and efforts to educate voters have prompted nearly 10,000 requests for absentee ballots for the Aug. 26 primary.

That's a lot more than is typical for a local primary, Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said.

"It's highly unusual," he said. "For a general election, it's probably about on pace."

Several longtime incumbents, including Sheriff Bob White and three county commissioners, face challengers from within their party this year, Corley said. County Commission Chairman Ted Schrader has two Republican opponents and no Democratic contenders, so his race will be decided in the primary. The clerk of the circuit court post also has attracted several candidates because Jed Pittman plans to retire.

The supervisor's office recently mailed information cards to Pasco's registered voters and encouraged them to check the information, including party affiliation, to ensure its accuracy. Last year, Corley's office received hundreds of complaints from voters who said they were registered with the wrong party. Corley attributed the problems to confusion at the tax collector's office, where many residents register to vote when they renew their driver's licenses.

Registering with a political party is important in Florida, one of 16 states with closed primaries in which parties elect their candidates. Many Pasco voters come from other states that have open primaries and are surprised to find out that they can only vote for contenders in their own party, Corley said.

Voters have until July 28 to change their party affiliation or other registration information.

Turnout typically is about 20 percent for a general election, but Corley expects greater participation this year, he said.

Pasco primaries usually draw 3,000 to 7,000 absentee ballot requests, Corley said.

Early voting also has caught on since the county began offering the option in 2004. The presidential primary that year drew 3,104 early voters, 7,650 absentee voters and 41,634 traditional voters.

During the 2004 general election, 29,584 people voted early, 34,799 voted absentee and 127,526 turned out.

The 2006 primary drew 6,590 early voters, 5,048 absentee voters and 40,432 others on primary day. In the general election that year, Pasco had 19,020 early voters, 16,589 absentee voters and 94,458 traditional voters.

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

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