Posted on 10/25/2004 9:21:05 AM PDT by sheikdetailfeather
POSTED: 9:07 pm EDT October 24, 2004 UPDATED: 10:54 am EDT October 25, 2004
ORLANDO, Fla. -- There's outrage in Central Florida over early voting, and things are so bad in Orange County that Elections Supervisor Bill Cowles said he may move the early voting sites.
The parking lot at the Alafaya Branch Library was so full that voters parked on the grass, and at least 100 people were lined up out the door to cast their vote, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.
What usually inspires such a crowd? Flu shots? Concert tickets?
"What do you think about this? I think people are doing what's right. It's important," voter Debra Fulcher said.
No. These are Americans in line to vote on a Sunday afternoon in a country where only 51 percent of people bother to. It was downright inspirational.
"They say usually the turnout is so bad. I'm surprised they have so many people and everything," voter Dina Solanky said.
There were no problems at the Alafaya Branch Library. There were no problems, and library patrons had no problems with the voters.
"I think it's a good thing they're having the early elections. It's not inconvenience at all to me." library patron Dimitri Moss said.
Nor were there any Kerry or Bush supporters campaigning outside, but Cowles wrote Gov. Jeb Bush a letter saying there is a problem, especially with the eight library sites where people are voting. He said some employees at the libraries and some voters are being harrassed by campaign workers and even members of the media.
As a result, he says libraries are threatening to pull out of the voting business. One dilemma: apparently, Election Day rules don't apply during early voting.
For example: At a library Saturday where people were voting, Kerry workers set up shop right outside the door.
Here is part of the letter Cowles sent to Bush: "Our employees are as intimidated and harassed as the voters."
Bush sent a letter back to Cowles saying "voter intimidation is a crime [and] supervisors should remove people who are intimidating voters."
Copyright 2004 by WESH.COM. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
I was wondering this myself. I live in a community of over 100,000 and have never waited to vote.
Just finished voting on Saturday with my wife. (Williamson County, TX) Very convienient. No lines, no hassles. Took my son back on Sunday afternoon and he to voted for his very first time. (straight Republican ticket also). That's 3.
No illegals are voting here in Texas.
You just made me even more nervous. Why, oh, why isn't a driver license or other official id required? The thieves want power so badly, that they will destroy our voting system. I now have more faith in the Afgan elections. :-(
Yes, I did!
I voted early here in Florida and it was at the library. I had to show my DL and voting reg. I was GLAD TO DO SO..BY THE WAY..BUSH/CHENEY HDQTRS JUST CALLED ME TO COME HELP MAKE CALLS AND HE SAID PRESIDENT BUSH IS AHEAD IN FLORIDA BUT WE MUST NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
I may be mistaken, but I believe Florida (under Gov. Bush) requested extended voting because it is trying out its new touch-screen system and wanted to have enough time to get the bugs out if necessary.
The issue is that the law creating extended voting did not include the boilerplate language about no politicking within a certain number of feet outside of a polling place. The Democrats are taking advantage of this mistake to set up shop right outside the door.
It may be traditional where you live for people to pass out campaign literature outside the doors of polling places. In most parts of the country, there is no electioneering within a certain number of feet (I believe it usually is 100 feet) of a polling place.
If they don't have a voter's registration card and they don't show up on the "already registered" poll list, then they might have to use the affadavit.
Illegals won't go to the trouble of being caught and sent back to Mexico.
OPEN YOUR EYES, Clark Kent! You belong with CHLOE!
Explanation? BTW, if it's a "Smallville" reference, just let me know and that will be explanation enough. I'm a big Supes fan but I've never watched Smallville.
Yep, Smallville. Good show. :)
Is the "politicing set-back" different in each state? In Calif you must be at least 100' away from the building.
While I was getting my ballot from the clerk a lady came in to get a "count" - I assume she was an observer. The clerk told her to stand against the wall and she would take care of her when she was able --- loved it.
I do not know if it is different in every state. I do know that in the library where I voted early here in Central Florida, two voters with Kerry/Edwards shirts were in line. Maybe because it was a library nobody stopped them.
But then again, this is PA, so maybe their rules are different from the rest of the country. Anybody in PA know the scoop?
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