Extremely Light Voting In Most City Races
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Voting is reported extremely light by candidates and campaigners throughout Broward County today.
The absolutely perfect weather bright sunshine and relatively mild 70s and low 80s degree temperatures did nothing to encourage voting.
The turnout may be under 10 percent countywide, said candidates and campaigners.
The Miami Herald’s take on today’s voting is here.
As usual, the turnout was worse in single family neighborhood and minority communities.
Yet today, even condominium voters seem to be staying away from the polls.
Lauderdale West and Sunrise Lakes condominiums are “dead, said several candidates.
Those complexes are in Plantation and Sunrise where there are hotly-contested commission races.
Wynmoor, in Coconut Creek, will be lucky to turn out 13 percent of the voters. But that is much better than other areas of Coconut Creek, where the voter turnout could be lower than 5 percent in some precincts.
In Fort Lauderdale, the turnout appeared “steady with voters appearing throughout the day to cast ballots in three commission races.
But no one involved in the Fort Lauderdale races expected more than 12-15 percent turnout.
In Deerfield Beach, where Al Capellini is running for re-election as mayor despite facing trial on a corruption charge, the turnout is no better.
In Western Davie, where the issue in the mayor’s race is whether to allow construction of The Davie Commons shopping and office complex in the neighborhood, is also experiencing a light turnout.
Property Appraiser Lori Parrish, who lives in Western Davie and is an outspoken opponent of The David Commons, woke up before dawn to campaign for former Commissioner Judy Paul.
Paul, who vows to kill The Davie Commons project, is challenging Davie Mayor Tom Truex for re-election. Truex supports the shopping complex.
Parrish said, “Judy was substantially ahead” in the precinct at Rick Case Honda that she worked in the earlier morning before going to work. She also said that Paul was leading in the Pine Island Ridge condominium, but that “voting was really slow there.”
March 10th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Getting a good look at Judy Paul this morning, I have to say that she has put on substantial weight. Retirement from the town council has not been her friend. Is it true that she wants to bring back John George as police chief?
March 10th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I was at Century Village Deerfield Beach. It was deader at the polls than the residents.
March 10th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Lori should be happy with a light turnout. Judy Paul’ssupporters are more motivated and will vote while Truex’s are not as enthusiastic. A light turnout should mean a Paul win.
March 11th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Dania Beach Polls were also a ghost town, but so is the city of Dania Beach. Too many of the old regime got voted back in so it’s business as ususal. Tear down, fence in property and leave it as an eyesore….take a ride around Dania and see what I mean. Michael Mann lifes in Dania, it’s a disaster.