Polls opened at 7 this morning. They will close at 7 this evening. You have one, brief job today–by far a more important job than sitting at your desk or punching a clock: find your precinct and go vote. It couldn’t have been made easier for you. Don;t let this be a repeat of the 2010 election.
The Live Interviews:County Judge |
State Attorney |
Referendum |
Flagler School Board |
Flagler County Sheriff |
In the 2010 primary, just 14,100 voters out of Flagler County’s 64,277 registered voters at the time cast a ballot, for a turnout of 21.94 percent. That was the lowest turn-out since computer records have been kept, beginning in 1996. With eight days of early voting, already some 5,160 voters have cast a ballot, out of 67,814 registered voters. That’s 7.6 percent of the electorate.
Keep in mind: all voters, regardless of party affiliation, have several races they can (they should) vote in.
If You’re a Registered Independent: The races open to all registered voters, including Republicans, Democrats and Independents, are the State Attorney’s race, the Flagler County Judge race, and two Flagler County School Board races. You may cast a ballot in those races regardless of your address, as long as you’re registered in Flagler County. You may also vote in the School Board Referendum, asking voters to renew the half-cent sales tax that’s been on the books for the past 10 years, helping to finance construction and repairs, and technology in schools.
If You’re a Registered Republican: You get to vote in all the races that Independents can vote in, plus the following: The Republican primary for U.S. Senator (six candidates), the Republican primary for the newly formed U.S. Congressional District 6 Seat, which includes all of Flagler County (seven candidates), the Clerk of Court race, the Republican primary for Flagler County Sheriff (three candidates), the Republican primary for supervisor of elections (four candidates), and two county commission races. There are also several internal Republican Party contests, but those aren’t for public offices.
If you’re a registered Democrat: Count your blessings that you still have a few Democrats running in this county. You get to vote in all the races and the school board referendum Independent voters may vote in, plus the following: the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, with one Democrat challenging incumbent Bill Nelson, the Democratic race for the congressional district seat (two candidates), the Democratic race for the newly formed Florida House seat that includes all of Flagler County (Doug Courtney and Milissa Holland are battling for that one), and the Democratic primary for sheriff (two candidates).
See below for the full ballot.
The county commission race pitting Ericksen and Petersen, and the clerk of court race pitting Wadsworth and Mazzie, should have been open to all registered voters as well, each race p[its a pair of Republicans against each other, and the winner of that race will be the actual winner overall. But in each race, the Ronald Reagan Republican Assemblies of Florida fielded a write-in–who has no capability or intention of winning, and whose sole purpose was to close the contest to Democrats and Independents, essentially disenfranchising 40,000 voters and ensuring that the two races are decided by a more polarized, exclusively Republican electorate.
The fraud is enabled by a loophole-actually, a silence–in law that has been used to circumvent a constitutional amendment Florida voters approved in 1998 to prevent that sort of scheming. The Florida Legislature has yet to close the loophole, which has been used by candidates of both parties elsewhere in the state, though is being used in Flagler County for the first time this year. Ostensibly, the winner of these two races will again appear on the ballot in November, but only their one name will appear in each race, pitted against an empty line for the write-in candidate (whose name will not appear on the ballot).
Keep in mind: the most accurate way for you to find out where you vote is to go to this link at the supervisor’s office, enter your address in the box provided, and denote your precinct number and address. The table below, filled in with information the supervisor of elections provided the county commission in late spring, gives a general overview of this year’s precinct changes. Do not rely on it exclusively to know where you are voting.
Precincts and Locations, Old and New
| If you were voting at this location... | ... you'll now be voting at this location. |
|---|---|
| Haw Creek Community Center (Precinct 3) | Some voters will go to Bunnell City Hall (Precinct 1), some to St. Johns Park and some to St. Mary's Catholic Church. (New precinct 5) |
| Espanola Community Center (Precinct 5) and Haw Creek Community Center (Precinct 3) | Bunnell City Hall (Precinct 1) |
| Rima Ridge Fire Station (Precinct 18) | St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bunnell (new Precinct 5) |
| Palm Coast Yacht Club (Precinct 8) | VFW Post 8696 at 47 North Old Kings Road (new Precinct 23) |
| First AME Church of Palm Coast (Precinct 21) | VFW Post 8696 at 47 North Old Kings Road (new Precinct 23) |
| Hancock Bank (Precinct 23, if you're west of Florida Avenue) | VFW Post 8696 at 47 North Old Kings Road (new Precinct 23) |
| Hancock Bank (Precinct 23, if you're east of Florida Park Drive) | Palm Coast Community Center (new precinct 27) |
| Portuguese American Cultural Center (Precinct 34) | VFW Post 8696 at 47 North Old Kings Road (new Precinct 23) |
| Hammock Community Center (Precinct 10) | Adult Education Building on S.R. A1A, 5633 North Ocean Shore Blvd. (new Precinct 29) |
| Hammock First Baptist Church (Precinct 27) | Adult Education Building on S.R. A1A, 5633 North Ocean Shore Blvd. (new Precinct 29) |
| Beverly Beach's Surfside Estates (Precinct 11) | Flagler Beach City Hall (new Precinct 33) |
| Flagler Beach Fire Station (Precinct 20, if you're west of the Intracoastal) | Old Kings Elementary (new precinct 37) |
| Flagler Beach Fire Station (Precinct 20, if you're east of the Intracoastal) | Flagler Beach City Hall (new Precinct 33) or Old Kings |
| Belle Terre Swim and Racuet Club (Precinct 16, if you're on the west side of Belle Terre Parkway) | Shepherd of the Coast Lutheran Church (Precinct 22) |
| St. Thomas Episcopal Church (old Precinct 19) | Flagler County Public Library on Belle Terre (new Precinct 19) |
| Precinct 32 north of Highway 100 and east of I-95 | Old Kings Elementary (new precinct 37) |
| Precinct 7, neighborhood of Arrowhead Drive | Old Kings Elementary (new precinct 37) |
| African American Cultural Society (Precinct 28) | Christ the King Lutheran Church, 5625 U.S. 1 in Palm Coast (new Precinct 13) |
| Flagler County School Building on SR100 (Precinct 32) | First Baptist Church of Bunnell on Commerce Parkway (new Precinct 9) |
| Grand Reserve Development (Precinct 1) | First Baptist Church of Bunnell on Commerce Parkway (new Precinct 9) |
| Central Baptist Church (Precinct 35) | Flagler County School Building on SR100 (new Precinct 10) |
Download: Aug. 14, 2012 Flagler County Primary sample ballot.
Clint says
I just voted. I have to say every time I go into these voting places there is always elderly women at the tables and elderly men standing outside. Why is there NO younger people helping out ?
FlaglerLive says
Clint, thanks for suggesting what will be an excellent question to ask the two remaining candidates for supervisor of elections in their upcoming interviews.
Johnny Taxpayer says
I think it’s probably pretty simple… “young people” are working, raising families, retirees simply have more available time. Although at my polling location there were a couple of 30 somethings volunteering.
Will says
A great effort, FlaglerLive.
Thank you.
ricky says
I’ll be glad when it’s over and all the signs at every intersection are removed.. There should be a limit as to how many signs are allowed per canidate.. This is the worse I’ve ever seen.. I hope code inforcement and/or the police make sure this gets done and soon..
Anonymous says
Ricky: When the Primary is over, those candidates who are no longer candidates have 15 days in which to remove their signs in the city. Failure to do so incurs a fine.
question says
Clint… the AGE of the poll workers is relevant HOW? I believe all are tested and appointed without discrimination relative to race or age. Is that a problem?
Will says
@ Ricky – your concern about signs may come down to a freedom of speech 1st Amendment issue. How and by whom would signs be limited?
question says
p.s. they select from those who apply…mainly retired…who find this job fun. I guess not so much ‘fun’ or ‘civic duty’ compels younger citizens.
Nancy N. says
You know what compels younger citizens? The need to work our asses off to support our family instead of being able to do things that would be “nice” to do like our civic duty. I spent three years as a government major in college. I’d be thrilled to spend a day working as a poll worker. But it’s a bit hard to fit in my schedule in between working 60-80 weeks at my business just to make ends not even meet (and I’m the sole support for my family), and caring by myself for a 9 year old that has a developmental disability and a serious illness.
So before you start casting aspersions, why not take a look at the lives of the people around you? Us young folk aren’t exactly sitting around all day eating bon-bons. Why is it that people get old and they suddenly think everyone younger than them is completely useless?
livesinpalmcoast says
Thank you flagler live for a wonderful effort to get people out to the polls.
I hope we get a good turn out at the polls, its so improtant to VOTE.
Also about the signs all over, I really don’t mind them BUT the only concern I have/had is if we should get a storm would all the canidates be able to REMOVE them all since they could be dangerous in a storm.
ricky says
Anonymous. Thanx for the info. Have a good day and I hope both our votes count..
Justin says
I voted :)
livesinpalmcoast says
Clint:
Most likely most younger people are working to provide for their families and those famiy members that stay home usually have children in their care. So its pretty simple, older people have the time to do something like that….
Why don’t you work at the polls?
Magicone says
Polls close in 1 1/2 hours. Outstanding job Flaglerlive, this is a very important election. How much time do the candidates have to get their signs off of our beautiful streets? If they are not removed in the allotted time each one should be fined to the maximum.
question says
Always strikes me how odd that we can turn Palm Coast into a junk heap of candidate signs for weeks and weeks…yet leave up your yard sale sign 22 seconds too long and they send a Drone to take it out :)
Nancy N. says
That’s because politicians who have to campaign wrote the local signage ordinances. They exempted campaign signs from the restrictions that make garage sale signs a no-no.
The same way Congress exempted political calls from all the Do Not Call and anti-Robo Calling legislation.
“This is illegal for everyone but us to do.”
w.ryan says
Clint: Pensioned, Retired, no kids! None the less there are a few youthful faces. Big Ups Flaglerlive! Looking forward to your concise reporting tonite!
question says
Nancy N,
You are right…I did paint with way too broad a brush.
Thanks.
Deep South says
It’s time to make a change. With all the technology we have today, people with jobs, kids, and personal things to take care, find it very difficult to find the time to vote. Even myself who is retired had to work it into my schedule to go vote. They need to to change the way we vote to better accommodate. I feel that I am going back in time when I go vote. Especially when you have to vote with a marker and paper. Voting should be set up on line so all you have to do is log on your lap top, or I phone and cast your vote, that simple. I think by doing this you would get more registered voters voting. You shouldn’t have to leave your home or work to go vote. Just do it on line.