Thread: Indies voting for McCain in Florida

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Primary day voting begins for South Florida

By Robert Nolin

Sun-Sentinel.com

10:13 AM EST, January 29, 2008
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South Florida voters took to the polls in force Tuesday, setting the stage for what may be a record turnout for a primary election and deciding a make-or-break race for Republican presidential hopefuls.

Early reports showed few problems at polling precincts. All polls in Broward County opened on time but two, said Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes. One opened five minutes late, another 10 minutes late, she said. In Palm Beach County, officials reported smooth openings at most of the 780 voting precincts Tuesday morning.

On the ballot: Democratic and Republican candidates for president and a controversial property tax amendment to the state's Constitution that needs more than 60 percent of voters' approval to pass.

Palm Beach County has 800,000 registered voters. Anderson predicts an about 40-percent or higher turnout. He said the closely contested presidential race and the public attention being paid to the property tax measure on the ballot is likely to keep interest high in a primary election that, he said, would normally draw fewer than a third of the registered voters.

Anderson made visits to several voting precincts early Tuesday, including a stop at H.L. Johnson Elementary School in Royal Palm Beach. There was a light turnout at the precinct. And with at least seven poll workers on duty there, at times, the number of workers exceeded the number of people waiting to cast ballots.

Snipes said more than 55,000 people voted early, dwarfing any other year in Broward history. In Hollywood, with its contentious races for mayor and commission, between 300 and 400 people voted early, more than any other city.

Tuesday's primary will cost about $2.7 million, and more than 10,000 volunteers will have worked on it, including preparation and early voting.

"It's exciting, and so far we really haven't had any problems at all,'' Snipes said about three hours into the vote. "There is a lot of pressure in Broward, because of the spotlight and what's gone on in the past.''

A handful of problems were reported by voters.

Rabbi Richard Yellin said he was first in line at the polling location at Congress Avenue and Woolbright Boulevard in Boynton Beach, but that did him little good when it came to casting his vote.

"There has been a major failure of the voting, at least at this precinct," he said.

He said he tried five times to use the voting machine but it would not allow him to vote. About a dozen people were also at the precinct to vote, Yellin said. "None of the machines worked," Yellin said.

Poll workers were attempting to obtain help from the main elections office, but were still struggling to activate the machines when Yellin said he had to leave to attend to his duties at the synagogue.

"They took the names and said come back later."

On Fort Lauderdale beach at a polling station near Galt Ocean Mile, Joe Sanches complained he was forced to vote on a provisional ballot because of a problem with an absentee ballot. Sanches said he requested an absentee weeks ago and it never arrived.

He said he was frustrated when he tried to vote today and poll workers would not allow him to cast a regular ballot. He was given a provisional ballot instead because records showed he was sent the absentee.

"I was told I had voted, which I hadn't," Sanches said.

The elections office requires voters to vote on provisional ballots when questions arise about the status of the voter. The provisional ballots aren't counted until officials can sort out the status of the voter and the validity of the ballot cast.

An upset Sanches called the problem "a disaster."

In northern Coral Springs, near the Sawgrass Expressway and Coral Ridge Drive, David Nirenberg arrived to vote as an independent. Nevertheless, he said poll workers insisted he choose a party ballot.

"He said to me, 'Are you Democrat or Republican?' I said, 'Neither, I am independent.' He said, 'Well, you have to pick one,''' Nirenberg said.

In Florida, only those who declare a party are allowed to cast a vote in that party's presidential primary.

Nirenberg said he tried to explain to the poll worker that he should not vote on a party ballot because of his "no party affiliation" status.

Nirenberg said a second poll worker was called over who agreed that independents should not use party ballots, but said they had received instructions to the contrary.

"He said, 'Ya know, that is kind of funny, but it was what we were told.' … I was shocked when they told me that." Nirenberg said he went ahead and voted for John McCain.

In Palm Beach County, an interruption is being reported in Kings Point, a south county retirement community, according to Supervisor of Elections Arthur Anderson.

A poll worker mistakenly turned off voting equipment at that precinct. Anderson said officials are hurriedly preparing new machines to be installed at that location. He said that while it may be causing interruptions there, it likely won't lead to any need for keeping the station opened past the scheduled 7 p.m. closing.

However, Anderson noted that state law allows that voters who are in line to vote, even at 7 p.m., will be allowed to cast their ballots

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-129elec ... rint.story

http://www.drudgereport.com/

"
"He said to me, 'Are you Democrat or Republican?' I said, 'Neither, I am independent.' He said, 'Well, you have to pick one,''' Nirenberg said.

In Florida, only those who declare a party are allowed to cast a vote in that party's presidential primary.

Nirenberg said he tried to explain to the poll worker that he should not vote on a party ballot because of his "no party affiliation" status.

Nirenberg said a second poll worker was called over who agreed that independents should not use party ballots, but said they had received instructions to the contrary.

"He said, 'Ya know, that is kind of funny, but it was what we were told.' … I was shocked when they told me that." Nirenberg said he went ahead and voted for John McCain."

Laura Ingraham just talked about this on her morning radio show.

I caught that too usanevada and I am NOT happy !!

I will report this to our local news station NOW !

I might get flamed for this, but I think we all should be able to vote in both primaries. Wouldn't you like the opportunity to vote for the least offensive of the other party. Less opportunity for pandering. IMO.

But, as it stands now they should not be allowed to vote.

I called my local CBS affiliate station,talked to a reporter who told me he just voted and assured me they are checking voter registration and ID in our area.

He was no happier then I am about this happening in Coral Springs and said he would check it out.

Pistov I agree it should be an open primary but it is not and this is a slap in the face to people who went to the trouble to change their affiliation to be able to vote in the Primary. Law is Law....

I feel this invites IA's to vote since they are apparently not asking for voter ID.

They SHOULD not be voting. See below from
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voterre ... info.shtml

Party Affiliation
Since Florida is a closed primary state, only voters who are registered members of the two major political parties (Republicans and Democrats) may vote for their respective party's candidates in a primary election. Registered minor political party voters and voters without party affiliation are not eligible to vote for major party candidates in a primary election. However, a constitutional amendment adopted in 1998 states that IF all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election, all qualified voters, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary election for that office. (See art. VI, s.5 of the Florida Constitution). Party changes must be made by the end of the 29th day before the Primary Election.


This is illegal....not that I am surprised.

I hope these reports are fully investigated, both officially and by the media. If these reports are true, this is unacceptable!

And will give McCain the win

I hope this doesn't happen in CA! I had to run out and change my registration from IND to REP. in order to vote in the primary!

Rush said McCain is probably behind the FLA scam and if this is true... he needs to be held accountable for this! Rules are rules...

The bottom line is...we cannot even trust the individual precinct workers! Elections will be won not on WHO votes, but who COUNTS the votes!