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Dear Buddy: Please Stop Writing Us

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By DANIEL RUTH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2008

To paraphrase that great Mel Brooks line: It's good to be the supervisor of elections - all that free money, all that free face time.

Right about now it would be understandable if Buddy Johnson's Democratic opponent, Phyllis Busansky, was becoming more annoyed than Sarah Palin finding herself stuck in an elevator with Katie Couric at the National Press Club.

After all, Busansky has raised about $132,000 in her quest to unseat Johnson, yet her opponent continues to enjoy more public exposure than Hannah Montana, and much of it at public expense.

At this point in the campaign season, if you are a registered voter, a nonregistered voter, a rabid badger, or even if you are dead, chances are you've received mail from Buddy Johnson, Hillsborough County supervisor of elections, reminding you that he is Buddy Johnson, Hillsborough County supervisor of elections.

Sack Of Chad

What is amazing about ... by the way, did I forget to mention that Buddy Johnson is the Hillsborough County supervisor of elections?

At any rate, what is amazing about all of this publicity is that Johnson has had his fair share of dumber than a sack of chad moments on the job in an office that has seen more turnover than a suicide bomber school.

Former employees have been paid to shut up about the inner workings of Johnson's office. Votes have been lost, polling places changed without advance notice and the supervisor of elections has manipulated his property taxes by arranging to have cows graze on his land to lower his payments.

And when it comes to accessibility, Johnson often has proven to be less visible than the state executioner.

By all accounts, Busansky ought to be preparing to triumphantly assume the election supervisor's post like Elizabeth Taylor arriving in Rome in "Cleopatra."
Floyd The Barber
Alas, although Johnson may have all the management skills of Mayberry's Floyd the Barber when it comes to running his office, the supervisor has proven to be more adept when it comes to running for office.

Buddy Johnson, Hillsborough County supervisor of elections, has his mug plastered all over the community, on television, radio and various print media advertisements touting the new optical scan voting systems and the other swell things Buddy Johnson, Hillsborough County supervisor of elections, has done for you. Or whatever.

In recent days, Johnson sent out a mailing to 666,000 registered voters reminding them that they were, uh, well, registered to vote. The envelope also contained a form to register to vote again, which seems sorta superfluous, unless you live in Chicago.

After several days of inquiries, Johnson's press flack, Kathy Harris, finally said sending out the brochures to remind registered voters they were registered - not counting the badgers, the dearly departed and Lassie - cost the public $99,900, or very nearly Busansky's entire campaign budget.

But that was only an estimate, Harris noted. It could be weeks before a more detailed accounting is available - say by Nov. 5, perhaps?

Keyword: Book of Ruth, to read and comment on Daniel Ruth's blog.

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