The community organizing group that’s been in the news lately because of voter registration fraud concerns is warning Floridians not to be victims of what’s called foreclosure voting fraud. ACORN says the state’s high rate of foreclosures could make it a target for voting purges. Lynn Hatter reports.

The U-S Government Accountability Office wants to conduct a study to examine voting access for Floridians with disabilities. It’s something that was done during the 2000 elections - but this time around they’re being blocked by Florida Secretary of State Kurt browning. Trimmel Gomes reports.

As early voting kicks off across the state this week, state elections offices are facing questions and rumors about who can and can’t vote. Lynn Hatter spoke with one elections officer and prepared this report.

Early voting got underway Monday in Florida. And as WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports lots of voters decided to get out and beat the crowd on Election Day.

The Florida Cabinet, acting as the state election canvassing board, has certified a disputed Palm Beach County judge’s race. But as Tom Flanigan reports, the election dispute isn’t over…

The voting process in Palm Beach County is still making national news. Doug Phillips reports:

Voter turnout in Tuesday’s primary election was the lowest ever recorded in Florida. Statewide, only 15-percent of voters cast ballots. Voter turnout in primary elections is never very high. If one-third of people head to the polls to choose their party’s candidates in the general election, political watchers are happy. But a statewide 15-percent turnout has disappointed political scientists. Florida Gulf Coast University public affairs professor Peter Bergerson blames an election held just after Labor Day, rainy weather in parts of Florida and a two-decade long decline in political party activity:

“One of the primary ingredients in winning a race is having an effective organization. So if you remove the major influence of political parties during primary elections, you’ve removed one of the motivating factors or forces that bring people to the polls.”

Bergerson also says college football may be to blame. The state’s three big universities all played their first games this past weekend, diverting attention from the election.


Political observers says Tuesday’s ultra-low turnout at the polls was disappointing and not surprising. Statewide, just 15-percent of voters cast ballots. In Southwest Florida it wasn’t much better: Lee, Collier and Hendry Counties all reported a 17-percent turnout. 20-percent of Glades County voters turned out and just 15-percent in Charlotte. University of South Florida political scientist Susan MacManus says the state didn’t do a good enough job educating the public that everyone can participate in the primary.

“Even if you’re not a Democrat or Republican, you can still vote in the non-partisan judicial races and school board races. And we had record highs in the number of competitive judges and school board races and yet one-fifth of our population who’s independent didn’t realize they could vote in those races. And I think that dampened turnout a lot too.”

MacManus also blamed the low turnout on poor weather in South Florida and the election falling one day after Labor Day. She expects turnout to be much higher in November for the general election because of the governor and senate races.

Republican Charlie Crist faces Democrat Jim Davis in November to become Florida’s next governor.

In the race for Florida Attorney General Skip Campbell faces Bill McCollum in November.

In the race for Chief Financial Officer Republican Tom Lee faces Democrat Alex Sink in November.


In State Legislative Races that cover Southwest Florida:

In State House District 69 Laura Benson wins.

State House District 73 Republicans John Albion and Nick Thompson each got nearly 50% of the vote. A run-off or recount will be decided on Monday 9/11/06. The winner takes on Democrat Pete Burkert in the general election.

Republican Michael Grant won State House District 71.

In State House District 70 Democrat David Shapiro faces
Doug Holder in November.

In House district 77 Republican Incumbent Denise Grimesley faces Democratic challenger Thomas Zane in the general election.

House district 76 has Incumbent Dudley Goodlette term limited out. In the General Election Republican Garrett Richter faces Ken McPherson with the Constitutional Party.


There are 7 circuit judge races:
In group 9 Circuit Judge Meg Steinbeck won re-election.
In group 28 Naples attorney Beth VanArsdale Krier won.
In group 26 Fort Myers attorney Joe Simpson won.
In group 14 Former State Representative Bruce Kyle won.
In group 31 Fort Myers attorney Keith Kyle won.

Two races will run off in November –
In group 29 Lynne Dailey faces Miguel Fernandez
In group 30 Frank Mann Junior faces Liz Adams.


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In Lee County:

Republicans Frank Mann won John Albion’s former Lee County commission district 5 seat.

The Lee County commission district 4 seat has Republican incumbent Tammy Hall re-elected.

Brian Bigelow beat incumbent Doug St. Cerny in District 2.

In the Lee County judgeship race Diane Dramko and Tara Paluck face off in November.


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In Charlotte County:

Charlotte County Commission seat for district 2 has incumbent Republican Adam Cummings re-elected.

In Charlotte commission district 4 Matt DeBoer is leaving office.
Republicans Richard Loftus takes his place.

For Charlotte County judge Paul Alessandroni takes the bench in January.
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In Collier County:

Collier County Commission District 4 has incumbent Frank Halas facing Michael Lissack in November.

For County Judge Mike Carr appears to have won.

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In Sarasota County:

Commissioner District 2 Joe Barbetta was elected.


In Glades County: (results unknown)

In Glades county voters will be asked if they want to levy a one cent sales surtax to fund infrastructure and public utilities.

Glades voters will also be asked if they want to grant property tax exemptions to new and expanding businesses.

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In Congress:

In District 13 – the race for outgoing U.S. Representative Katherine Harris’s seat Republicans Vern Buchanan faces Democrat
Christine Jennings in November.

In District 14 – Connie Mack faces Robert Neeld in the general election.

In the U.S. Senate Katherine Harris faces Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson in the General Election.

In District 16 Incumbent Republican Mark Foley faces Democrat
Challenger Tim Mahoney and Emmie Ross – with No Party Affiliation in the General Election in November.

Florida’s primary election is a week from tomorrow. But early voting began a week ago. And so far election officials in Southwest Florida say they’re surprised by the low turnout. Voters in Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties haven’t yet taken full advantage of early voting. A total of just 45-hundred people have cast ballots, far below some estimates of tens of thousands who might choose to vote early. Every county in Florida is required to set-up designated sites for people to cast ballots up to two weeks in advance. Lee County Elections Supervisor Sharon Harrington is baffled by the low response.

“I don’t know if people aren’t really getting into this election enough or they may not be aware of it. We’re trying to let everyone know. But I don’t know. It’s interesting because I thought for sure we would have had a whole lot more people coming out because there’s so much that’s going to be determined in this primary election.”

Several county commission races will be decided in the primary. Voters are also choosing a slew of newly-created circuit judge positions and, of course, picking their party’s nominee for governor.

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Election officials in Southwest Florida are keeping their fingers crossed that more people will choose to vote early for next week’s primary election. Early voting across Florida started last week. So far, in this region, people have NOT turned out in droves. Collier County Deputy Elections Supervisor Gary Beauchamp says they’ve set up eight locations around the county and about 16-hundred people have taken advantage of early voting.

“It allows people additional time and time that’s convenient to them to exercise their right to vote.”

In Lee County, elections supervisor Sharon Harrington describes early voting as ‘slow but steady’ and she hopes more people will turn out.

“So there’s an awful lot for everyone to vote on regardless of party. You don’t have to be a Republican or a Democrat. If you are no-party or a member of one of what we call the minor parties, there is still a lot on that ballot for people to vote on.”

Voters will choose their party’s nominee for governor, U-S Senate and a host of county commission, school board and judicial races.

The state league of women voters received a grant from the national organization to create the “Why Should I Vote” publication, which provides information in English and Spanish on why and how people can vote. President of the League of Women Voters of Collier County, Chris Strayton, says voter turnout is expected to be about 25 percent on September 5th and that’s not good enough, since many races could be decided in the primary.

“And then you have a situation where less than the majority of registered voters about who will be on our school board and who our judges will be as two examples. You know school board – it’s one of the biggest taxing bodies that we have here.”

The Why Should I Vote Brochure is available at Collier libraries and government buildings or online at the league’s website l-w-v- collier county dot org. Early voting is already taking place and the primary election is September 5th.

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The Collier County League of Women Voters is out with a new publication to help people who don’t quite know how to vote—to get to the polls this election season. President of the League, Chris Strayton, says voter turnout has notoriously been low and this is an attempt to increase it.

“Democracy depends upon people participating in the process. I think that the 2000 election showed how important an individual vote could be when you had a presidential election determined on the basis of about 500 votes. Democracy requires people to show up and it is not a spectator sport.”

The ‘Why Should I Vote’ brochure contains voter registration requirements, information on the right to a provisional ballot, absentee ballots and how to get more information on candidates.
It’s available on line at website l-w-v- collier county dot org and at Collier County libraries and government buildings.