Early birds, long lines: Crowds, complex ballot slow the process(Florida)

Miami Herald ^ | 11/4/02 | SOFIA SANTANA, EVAN S. BENN AND MARTIN MERZER

[finnman69]

Early birds, long lines: Crowds, complex ballot slow the process

`I didn't think I'd have to wait an hour'

BY SOFIA SANTANA, EVAN S. BENN AND MARTIN MERZER mmerzer@herald.com

Election officials call it ''convenience voting,'' but it didn't seem all that convenient Friday. Thousands of voters hoping to avoid long lines on Election Day found themselves enmeshed in long lines four days before Election Day.

Many advance voting sites were jammed Friday as early birds confronted lengthy, complex ballots and relatively few machines at six locations in Broward County and 14 in Miami-Dade County.

Was it a harbinger of things to come in South Florida? Probably.

Broward Elections Supervisor Miriam Oliphant was so worried about overcrowded polling places on Election Day that she asked Gov. Jeb Bush to officially lengthen voting hours. Request denied.

''I didn't think I'd have to wait an hour,'' said Mark Sanchez, 34, of West Kendall, one of 40 people in a line that snaked through the children's section of the West Kendall Regional Library. ``But I'm sure it will be worse Nov. 5.''

An hour? He was lucky he wasn't at the Broward County satellite courthouse in Hollywood. There, an hour carried you only halfway to the touch-screen machines, if you decided to stay.

''You gotta be kidding me,'' Rick Dunn, 49, said as he gazed at a line twisting around courthouse corners. ``No way. I'm out.''

His words were repeated nearly verbatim in North Miami, where Rita Cecilio reversed course after learning she'd have to wait 45 minutes to vote at the library.

''It's frustrating,'' she said. 'I walked in and said, `No way.' Once I saw the line, I said 'I'm outta here.' ''

SOMETHING NEW

Election officials noted that early voting by machine is a new phenomenon in Florida, and that some sites accommodated voters without undue delay Friday.

All early voting locations in both counties are open today.

''You learn from every election you do,'' said Broward Commissioner Suzanne Gunzburger, ``although this election is like a 100-year storm.''

And one that moves pretty slowly.

Voters at the Pembroke Pines voting center endured 90-minute delays Friday -- and that was before the lunch-hour crowd arrived.

''I tried to beat everyone by getting here a little early,'' said Jim Cocca, 61, of Miramar. ``But I almost passed out back there.''

Shortly after noon, the line grew to 80 feet as voters stood outside in the heat, waiting to reach one of seven touch-screen machines inside the small but air conditioned office.

Heeding complaints from the crowd, election workers brought out 30 chairs. That seemed inadequate to Larry Seidman, 79, of Pembroke Pines.

''How about some lunch?'' he asked.

Still, most said they'd rather wait and vote early than face longer lines Election Day.

''I can tell you this -- an hour today is better than whatever's coming Tuesday,'' said Harriet Friedman, 76, of Hallandale Beach. ``That'll be murder.''

EASY VOTING

And it wasn't all bad.

At Miami Beach City Hall, voters who arrived at noon were pleasantly surprised. Only four of 12 voting booths were occupied. At West Miami City Hall, some voters were in and out in 20 minutes.

''Sometimes, you're sitting here and it's quiet, and then a whole lot of people come in,'' said Kirkland Beale, a poll worker in Miami Beach. ``Some older voters take longer to cast their votes and it slows things down.''

Carlos Rodriguez, 90, required 15 minutes to work through the Miami-Dade ballot, which is considerably shorter than the Broward ballot. ''Better today than Election Day,'' he said after voting in Miami Beach.

Experts worry that voters using unfamiliar new equipment are consuming too much time as they negotiate a ballot crammed with the hotly fought gubernatorial race, other statewide elections, judicial retentions, 10 state constitutional amendments and additional contests.

Voters at the Broward County Governmental Center took an average of about 10 minutes to cast ballots Friday afternoon, but some needed as long as 16 minutes.

In Miami-Dade, Aventura resident Cynthia Bloom spent 20 minutes in line and another 20 minutes getting through the ballot.

''The ballot isn't just long; it's not clear,'' she said. ``These amendments are so difficult to understand.''

Lori Parrish, chairwoman of Broward's County Commission, said voters who study the ballot before they reach polling places can perform their civic duty without inconveniencing others.

''Everybody's panicking, and they need to stop,'' Parrish said. ``You can vote in less than six minutes, max, if you're prepared.''

But on Friday, the ballot clearly contributed to the problems.

At a library in Cutler Ridge, more than 50 people waited in line, and they watched with growing anger as voters spent 10 minutes or more at the machines.

''You have to read the instructions on how to use the machines before you get to the polls,'' Estille Jovan, 61, of Perrine, said with sufficient volume to be heard throughout the auditorium.

She stormed off.

Election officials in both counties said they were aware of the lines Friday but could not do much to alleviate them.

Most voting machines already are committed to Election Day use. In addition, state law requires that early voting only be offered at election offices.

BUSLOADS OF VOTERS

Miami-Dade officials said some delays were caused when busloads of voters arrived at some sites. ''If people all of a sudden show up, it could be a problem,'' said Mayor Alex Penelas.

Last week, when early voting began, slightly more than 2,000 people a day voted early in Miami-Dade, officials said. By Friday, more than 4,000 a day were voting; a similar number voted early in Broward.

Despite the lines, state officials urged voters to cast ballots today, Sunday (in Miami-Dade) and Monday.

On Sunday, many church congregations are expected to travel to County Hall, the only early voting site open that day in Miami-Dade. Broward does not plan to open polling places Sunday.

''To whatever extent we can get people to vote early, we can avoid even longer lines on Tuesday,'' said Secretary of State Jim Smith.

REDUCING WAIT

About 75,000 Broward residents are expected to vote early or by absentee ballot -- 14 percent of the total expected turnout. In Miami-Dade, 65,000 people cast early or absentee votes by Friday night -- about 11 percent of the total expected turnout -- and several thousand more should arrive before Tuesday.

That should help reduce waiting times on Election Day, but even if all machines work perfectly, long lines are likely to form, especially during peak voting times -- from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Officials reminded South Floridians that anyone in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote, even if polling places must remain open for many hours to accommodate them.

Herald staff writers Erika Bolstad, Richard Brand, Oscar Corral, Joni James, Jennifer Maloney and Andrea Robinson contributed to this report.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

When I lived in Miami it didn't take that long to vote for Bush. It's a shame that most Cuban's are hard workers who shun welfare (except to supplement a cash employment or business). Most are likely converts to the Republican cause. Smells like a RAT plot to me.

[FreeTally]

I suspect normalcy although we have all been bombarded with the loooooooonnng wait we will have to hopefully keep us home and make way for the busloads on their way.

It is probably a pretty good chance that these reports of "long lines" are a bunch of crap, hoping that legitimate, concerned voters stay home. They know damn sure that the people they "bus in" aren't going to wait around for a couple of hours.

[LetsRok]

I've been voting for over 30 years now and I can't think of a single time that I thought a ballot was "complex". They are written for morons. You have to be awful stupid (note to journalists) to not be able to push the probe into the hole that says "yes" or "no". Or to take a pencil and put the "X" in the proper box.

The problem is that these geezers don't read about the issues that they are being asked to vote on. If they would pick up a paper and "pre-cast" their choices BEFORE getting in line, they could transpose those choices into the machine in a matter of minutes. Instead they get to the poll and try to read and decide on all of the compelex amendments and referendums at the last moment. They should give each voter a 5 minute time limit and the machine kicks them out.

[js1138]

Every registered voter got a sample ballot last week. There a lot of ammendments and they're complicated. If you aren't smart enough to figure them out from the sample, you're going to waste a lot of people's time tomorrow.

I figure the bussed in rat voters will never finish. I'm pretty sure there isn't a straight ticket button, so they'll have trouble.

[Crispy]

This sounds like a good strategy for Republicans voting in heavy Democrat areas. Just take an extra 10 minutes voting. If enough Republicans did this, the line would get so long, the Democraps would go home.

You know the Democraps would do this.

[section9]

One of the things that needs to be understood is that there are about 10 Constitutional Amendment questions down here.

Also, expect Jeb to run better in South Florida than his brother did two years ago. Cubans are motivated, as are other Hispanics, to vote for Bush. AA turnout was monster two years ago, and Gore still didn't win the state.

If Bush does as good among white females as he is doing, is killing McBride among white males, and wins Hispanics as I suspect he will, then Bush will win going away. The only doubt will be the margin.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[SES1066]

I live a block away from my polling place. At the last primary, I was 2nd in line at my arrival at 07:00. Tomorrow, I intend to get there around 06:30 and will be interested to see what number I am in line.

I have already studied the sample ballot and there are 19 offices to be voted for and 10 amendments which I have already studied and know my vote selection by number. I will pronbably be in the voting booth no longer than a couple of minutes.

I have a problem with spread-out voting because I'm not that convinced that security can be maintained over such a long period. We are already seeing a lot of vote fraud reports and with the liberalization of registration, I worry about 'Cook County' vices prevailing.

[finnman69]

LOOKS LIKE RATS TO ME

Rachel Delvalle (L) and her mother Norma Spector talk about the ballot while waiting to vote at North Miami Public Library in North Miami, Florida on November 2, 2002. Voters at the site, one of 14 early voting places in Miami-Dade County, reported waiting about one hour to cast their votes for the November 5 election.

Voters wait inside the Hollywood Courthouse, Florida for up to two hours to vote, November 2, 2002. Early voting facilities have been open in southern Florida since October 19.

People wait in line to vote at North Miami Public Library in North Miami, Florida on November 2, 2002. Voters at the site, one of 14 early voting places in Miami-Dade County, reported waiting about one hour to cast their votes for the November 5 election.

(RAT Votes for McBride. look closely!!!!)A voter casts his ballot using new touch machine at the Hollywood Courthouse in Hollywood, Florida November 2, 2002. Early voting facilities have been open in South Florida since October 19.

[Amore]

Heaven forbid these pinheads read a sample ballot ahead of time and decide how they want to vote! I hate people like that. There really ought to be some minimum level of intelligence required for voting.

[Amore]

I agree with all you say except there's no way I'll be in line anywhere NEAR 6:30 a.m. I hope everyone is at least voting YES on #1.

A bit from the Daytona News Journal:

Supporters of the amendment say it would block frivolous lawsuits that often delay executions by a decade or more, and cost taxpayers millions of dollars for court-appointed lawyers and judicial staffing.

Florida voters in 1998 backed a similar constitutional measure to preserve the death penalty by a 73 percent margin. But the Florida Supreme Court threw it out, saying voters weren't told the measure also affected other types of prison sentences.

[Howlin]

Voters wait inside the Hollywood Courthouse, Florida for up to two hours to vote, November 2, 2002. Early voting facilities have been open in southern Florida since October 19.

Do you think there was a two hour wait on October 19th?

[anniegetyourgun]

Busloads?

[alwaysconservative]

Busloads? Busloads? Where are the poll watchers for BUSLOADS of people? Since when should voting be a bussing event, like a political tour? Grrr!

VOTE! VOTE REPUBLICAN! VOTE NOW!!! Please!

[surely_you_jest]

I voted around 2:00 pm on Friday afternoon in Sarasota, FL. I was in line for 10 or 15 minutes. Unlike Miami-Dade and Broward counties, the geezers in Sarasota seemed to be prepared. Nearly all of them had the sample ballots mailed out by the SOE, voted, and moved out smartly. It seemed to take most people 5 or 6 minutes.

Of course, the population of Sarasota County in general terms is seriously Republican, fairly well off economically, and well educated.

[yoe]

I suspect like the last election in that state, that the complaints will come as will the law suits from the Democrats. Their base is black and it boggles the mind that those people do not see through the lies and corruption dumped on them from day one. I heard the Democrats want MORE money for education...can you believe it? Bush gave them everything they wanted on that bill and they are still complaining. I would like to see where the money went when the Education Department was audited, the audit was never finished because the books were in such disarray...Clinton's people in that department and mostly black.

Like most states, Clinton/Gore found the money for jobs in the school districts and nothing for the students. From janitors to superintendents the money went to make more jobs...for votes - then there is the missing $340 million in Washington never accounted for.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

I bet the lines were all democraps and they were given 50 votes each.

[Born to be Wild]

Please don't blame all of Florida because 98% of it is screwed up. I live in the 2% that's all pubbie. Very nice.

[Rome2000]

''I didn't think I'd have to wait an hour,'' said Mark Sanchez, 34, of West Kendall, one of 40 people in a line that snaked through the children's section of the West Kendall Regional Library. ``But I'm sure it will be worse Nov. 5.''

40 people took an hour?

I just came from there and there were about 300 people in line.

I left, these people are retarded.

There are about 1000 polling places open on ELECTION DAY.

The microcephs at county hall only open 14 across the entire county and they are surprised about the long lines.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks for the pings. In some countries people risk their lives for the privilege of voting. Dems. whine about a few hours wait at the polls. Honest Floridians need to take back our state. Tell the Miami Herald that we aren't going to let the mischief-makers drag down our fine state. Not another Palm Beach County Telequest, election 2000 telescam. No more Flori DUH!

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[BJungNan]

What is so darned difficult, either about voting or setting up a system that makes it easy - and quick - to vote.

Apparantly there are some real incompetant people in (should I say it?) - Floriduh.