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Little Delay at Wimauma Precinct

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By LOIS KINDLE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2008

1:43 p.m. Voting at Precinct 913 at the Wimauma Civic Center slowed down a bit after a pre-workday rush hour but picked up again during the lunch hour. More than 400 people had voted by noon.

Precinct clerk Betty Chappelle said more than 350 people had voted by 11:30 a.m.

"For us, that's good," she said.

Precinct 913 is a mostly rural area with a large Hispanic population. Party affiliations are fairly split between its 2,421 registered voters: 701 Republicans, 976 Democrats and 744 independent or other.

According to poll deputy Roberta Rowe, the precinct is the largest, geographically, in the South Shore area of Hillsborough.

Helen Sarmiento is one of only a handful of Spanish-speaking poll workers.

"I've been working the polls here for almost 30 years," she said, "and I've never seen as big a turnout in the Hispanic community. Today has been great for us."

Raquel Ramos said she had no wait to vote. The Wimauma resident said she voted for Obama because she's concerned about the economy and voted no on the marriage amendment and yes on the environmental lands acquisition and protection and community college propositions.

John Katchur of Wimauma said he walked "right on in and was out in five minutes." He voted for McCain.

"I like him," Katchur said. "I think he's the better man for president, and I don't like O'Bama's positions."

He voted yes on Amendment 2.

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