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Record Numbers Voting Early In Hillsborough County

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2008

Updated: 10/27/2008 10:13 am

TAMPA - The number of Hillsborough County voters turning out to cast early ballots could double the number of those who showed up early four years ago, local elections officials say.

The first week of early voting coughed up more than 54,000 voters in 13 polling places across the county, according to figures released by the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections. The figures included voters who cast ballots between Oct. 20 — when early voting began — and Saturday. The early-voting polls were closed on Sunday.

The Jimmie B. Keel Library in Carrollwood proved the most popular place, with 5,844 voters showing up there last week, including 1,175 on Saturday. Cars lined the road in front of the library for hundreds of yards on Saturday as voters flocked to the site.

"Generally that how it is," elections office spokeswoman Angeline Cunningham said this morning. "Jimmie Keel is usually higher than other locations, just because of where it is. A number of registered voters in the New Tampa and Carrollwood areas go to that location."

West Tampa Regional Library had the fewest number of voters last week. The site was visited by 2,813 voters including 569, who cast their ballots Friday.

Eight of the 13 early voting sites recorded more than 4,000 voters during the week.

Cunningham said more voters are expected this week, as the Nov. 4 election approaches.

"We had 87,000 early voters in '04," she said "We are going to have way more than that that. Hopefully, we will double it."

There are 705,023 registered voters in Hillsborough County.

Here's a breakdown of early voting, as reported by the elections office:

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760.

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