Early Voting A Flop So Far
BY BUDDY NEVINS
I dropped by early voting at the Plantation Regional Library on Saturday and was pretty much alone.
There was nobody in the voting center. Nobody.
That’s been the pattern across Broward so far.
Only 2,918 voted in the first two days of early voting. That’s a minuscule amount of the 1.1 million registered voters, or even the 100,000 or so who are expected to vote in this election.
But this may be offset by the absentee ballots. More than 26,000 ABs have been returned to the Supervisor of Elections Office to date.
If this trend continues, between 30 and 40 percent of the voters in the primary will cast ballots before Election Day.
Since going to the polls appears to be the least popular of the two methods of early voting, I wonder why campaigns spend so much effort on it. Why put poll workers at every early voting location?
I believe the early voters are the most knowledgeable of the voters. Thus, they are least likely to make up their minds at the polling place.
Many consultants won’t tell the candidates that fact. Paying for poll workers is another way consultants use to milk the candidate.
Paying for poll workers? Yes, the dirty little secret is that some of the workers are paid and not volunteers or supporters of the candidate.
And, of course, some consultants find a way to get a piece of that money.
August 6th, 2012 at 11:51 am
I hear that at least one candidate is planning to hire homeless people to work polls on election day. Pathetic if true. Those individuals would support anybody that paid them.
We’ve even seen campaigns hire Dade County unemployed or homeless people make $25 per day working Broward County polls. Beware of any campaign employing election workers that do not have a Broward address or aren’t volunteers.
August 6th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
What about absentee votes? Any number on them? Absentee voters are the most knowledge.
FROM BUDDY:
Roughly 26,000. I put it in the story.
August 6th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
How is this possible? I thought mean old Republicans were responsible for early voting being reduced. Now you are telling me that nobody is showing up anyway? Could it be that early voting is being reduced because of lack of interest?
August 6th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
I worked a pretty busy polling location yesterday. From what I witnessed all day, people were very responsive to the following candidates campaigns.
Karen Harrington
Louie Granteed
Katie McHugh
Howard Forman
August 6th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Far be it for me to be cynical and jaded, but isn’t the term “old republican” a bit redundant?
August 6th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
There is no presidential race on this ballot, or for US Senate or governor like there was in August, 2010. Early voting for local races only does not generate great turnout and the congressional races appear to be uninteresting as measured by turnout.
August 6th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
i saw the same low turnout you did Buddy, yea its 100degrees outside, plus th e fact that everyone is basiccly out of town, but me here, but early voting is expensive and etc, but its worth it. To give the resident ample time to make their choices. Its the best system we have, and I am 100% confident that Dr.snipes(elections super) will do a great job. By the way maim(Dr,) some of these crazies as I call them , might sue me if i run for elected Off. So if i suponea you , if it goe s that far its nothing personal just recongnize your siganuter staing that my voting rights are in “good standing”(thats all). Again Dean”dino” Trantalis if its between Trantalis and Earl Rynerson etc, count me in in the Ft.Lau Comm(dis2). Sue me guys. No waaay will I sit and listen to Dino or Earl-I’ll just assume to run against them, or just go back to Alanon on Tuesday nites. Besides Comm.Romney Rogers who would you rather sit next to me or Dino here. Case closed.
August 6th, 2012 at 5:35 pm
At my early voting place in Fort Lauderdale today, there were only two volunteers from the Scott Israel for Sheriff campaign. No other campaigns had any workers there today when I voted. It was also empty inside. I was the only person voting when I went there. Sad.
August 6th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
Listen to Gineen Bresso, as she explains to everyone in South Florida why DWS MUST GO!
Vote GINEEN BRESSO for Congress on August 14th and help take our great nation back!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16bIgVFroMU
August 6th, 2012 at 10:01 pm
Hold on. Hasn’t this site been full of articles and comments about republicans shutting out democrats by reducing early voting? Thousands of people are being disenfranchised by King Scott thanks to the shortened voting period. Can’t you tell? They just decided not to show up at all. Idiots.
August 7th, 2012 at 12:10 am
I work the polls since Sat. too and heard Bresso more than Harrington in the Congress race. I think Bresso will pull it out!
August 7th, 2012 at 9:20 am
Buddy, this is a primary election. Wait until Nov to judge early voting. If there was no early voting in a presidential year then you would be writing about how bad it is that there is no early voting. Other people have stated the obvious, it is still vacation time and not too many races with more heat than the weather.
FROM BUDDY:
I didn’t judge early voting. I reported that the turnout was very low. I love early voting.
August 7th, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Yes you are all right, early voting is way behind in number of people voting compared to Dade. Can you believe w/ all these crazies will sue me if I throw my hat into the ring(go ahead bring plenty of cash w/ you caus e i’ll make you go the distance($$). My luck I would get newly minted excuse me elected judge Ilene Lieberman. Right. Please she would never preside even over a j-walkin case. Come on lady, i think you are shady, in the fact that you threw your friend Talabisco under the bus. And more importantly the resident s of Tamarac had to foot the bill($$) for your antics. Other than that she probably will make a great Judge. Just you wil never preside over any case that involves me. Come on. That includes Naugle’ wife Judge Phillips . Same regard. But did you see how fast she dropped her involvement w/ Bill Scherer’s case involving Republicans shutted out of the Primary. Yeah she recused herself being (get this) that she is a Republican and would allready be biased. She should have recused herself from the term limit deal also brought on by Att.Scherer. Now do you see either one of these woman would never preside over any case invovling me. Besides I’ll hire Perry Manson himself Mayor Seiler. Him and his “vanishing boater ” case. Oh plenty of loot to be made -just has that layer of cheese to it that makes it quite sticky. Keep telling youreslf he’s dead(Guma Augiar)Jack. You can taste that 3million your gonna make off his estate. Keep telling yourself that.
August 7th, 2012 at 10:40 pm
Check out the Miami Herald’s take on the CD-23 Race & most recent debate. Read why Gineen Bresso is the only one who “operates on Planet Earth!” according to moderator Michael Putney from WPLG Local 10 News.
http://hrld.us/Migw9T
August 8th, 2012 at 9:48 am
Buddy,
Yesterday (Tuesday) I drove past the Coral Springs Library on University near Sample rd. The parking lot was packed with early voters in the late afternoon. Plenty of candidate workers and signs. I will be there on Saturday to vote early.
FROM BUDDY:
There were 1,808 voters countywide yesterday. The total countywide after four days of early voting yesterday was 6,414.
August 8th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
And did you see Buddy Comm.Ilene Lieberman is representing the “vanishing boater there Guma Augiar mother.- So as I previously mentioned you have appointed Att.Jack Seiler what basiccly for the Estate and you Have the flying jewish nun here Ilene Lieberman representing Guma’s mother. I mean now do you see why she would never preside over any case invovling me. Really. Your just as bad Jack of all trades Seiler(mayor excuse me)
August 8th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Walsh… You seem a bit slow.
Is there someone else we can talk to?