Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks summed it up just before 4 p.m. this afternoon, as she was visiting the Wadsworth Elementary library, one of six voting locations for two seats on the Palm Coast City Council: “It’s like planning for a big event and nobody shows up.”
By then, just 140 voters had cast a ballot at Wadsworth. Only 600 had voted by 2 p.m. at the Flagler County Public Library on Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway, usually the busiest voting location. Only 474 had voted by 2 p.m. at the Palm Coast Community Center, and fewer than 50 had voted at Matanzas High School and Belle Terre Elementary. IT’s not known how many had voted at the old school board building on State Road 100, but that wasn’t a high-turnout location during the Sept. 13 mayoral election, either.
That election drew just 5,248 voters, 10.6 percent of registered voters, worst in the city’s history. The question by late this afternoon was as much who would win the city council seats as whether the Sept. 13 turnout would be exceeded. Chances are it will, but not by many thousands.
The two weeks of early voting had exceeded those for the mayoral election by almost 1,000 votes. So before the polls opened at 7 a.m. today, some 3,331 votes had already been cast–2,631 in early voting, and 700 as absentee ballots. By 2 p.m., roughly 1,400 votes, at most, had been cast at the six locations, bringing the total to 4,731, or still about 500 short of the mayoral tally. The afternoon rush, as people leave work, was still ahead, but between the city’s unemployed and retired, the prospect of a big evening rush was slight.
All four candidates and most of their spouses and supporters were out in force, primarily at the community center and the library, ready to chat it up with any last-minute voter looking to learn more, waving signs at passing cars, and likely using every telepathic mean to encourage drivers turn in and vote. Around 3 p.m., the stream of voters into the community center looked as it it were picking up, with relatively brisk traffic in and out of the parking lot.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. at the following six locations:
Registered voters of either party and independents may cast a vote for any of the candidates at any of the following locations Tuesday:
Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway N.W.
Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway
Belle Terre Elementary School, 5545 Belle Terre Parkway
Wadsworth Elementary School, 4550 Belle Terre Parkway
Flagler County Schools Building, 5400 E. Highway 100
Matanzas High School, 3535 Old Kings Road N.
The absentee ballot votes will be tallied first, then the precinct votes, then the early voting ballots.
Joe says
I voted.
Layla says
I voted.
Morgan Monaco says
I told you so before. We don’t need 2 elections. It’s a waisting time & money. Who ever decide this is an idiot.
Yellowstone says
Pathetic!
If this is any indication at all of what the Presidential Primary is going to be like – I better get my Passport out of the safety-deposit box.
Are we Is so apathetic about our ‘government of the people’ in this city/county/state operate?
Well, you asked for folks, “You get what you paid for”. I want to read no more complaints about the way things don’t around here from you.
PCer says
I voted too.
Debbie says
Go Kay Afonso!! Keep up the good work!
BOB SMITH says
The “idiots” that did this were the incumbents and they are the ones that benefited from the low turnout. They will always do what is best for them, not the voters. Look at the minority vote and see if it was higher than 11.6%
The Truth says
No one votes because it’s always the same thing, regardless of the level of politics. From our nations capital all the way down to Palm Coast, no one expects any type of improvement anymore.
For those who thing that a Republican President will resolve our countries problems any better than our current President, you are clearly blind to what’s really going on in Washington. Stop listening to the Tea Party BS that we hear all the time and open your eyes to what’s really going on in our country which is a Congress filled with children who all want it their way.
Layla says
And one day soon, that precious right to vote will be lost. And then what will you do? Countries in the middle east being given the right to vote are voting in the 90% range, some risking their lives to do so.
And here we sit, totally uninterested and stupid. Yes, we WILL lose that right to vote.
[email protected] says
I agree with The Truth it is the SOS with anybody. politicians are self serving and are in it for what they can get out of the office for themselves.
Dudley Doright says
I am thoroughly discusted with the voters in Palm Coast. Why bother to register to vote if you are not going to get off your lazy butt and make the trip to the poles? You are pathetic! Those who gave their lifes to defend our right to vote must be spining in their graves! If your unhappy with our wonderful city council and did not vote, you don’t have a right to complain. You caused it!!!!
One other thought. Some might ask “what are they teaching in our schools about civic responsibilites”? When we answer that question, think about the two teahers that are under fire for assisting their students with voter registration. Yeah buddy, the politicians, in our state government, set the bar to prevent voter registration.
Finally, politicians are like diapers. They need to changed and they are full of the same stuff.
PJ says
Residents,
don’t complain if you did not vote. I sure did and proud of it………………
Wyatt says
People vote WHEN there are candidates worth voting for. Hence the reason for low voter turnout. I’ve been registered to vote for 60 years but only vote when I find a person who is honest, intelligent, and trustworthy. And who has the same view points that I have. Well, I did not see those qualities in any of these candidates.
The Truth says
I agree that the right to vote is a great thing about this country, however, our political system is completely corrupted on every level. Large corporations are the ones with power and will continue to be as long as it’s allowed in Washington. They bring large sums of money and they get things done the way they need it to for their business to be successful. It’s a sad sad state.
Sure, other countries without the right to vote is a sad thing as well. What good is a right to vote if your vote means nothing? We are starting to figure this out as a country more and more. It’s a sad state of affairs but we don’t have faith in our politicians to do what’s right, but rather to do what’s right to line their pockets.
Edith Campins says
I am so dissapointed in my community. Voting is such a privilige, how can anyone casually forgo the right to vote? We had and opportunity to make a difference and the vast majority didn’t care enough to take 20 minutes and exercise their right to vote. Less than a hundred more voters and the future of the whole community would have been different. Shame on all of you who were too lazy to participate but will probably spend their energy criticizing the city council decisions in the months to come. Yes, you get the goverment you deserve but unfortunately so do the rest of us.
Edith Campins
Layla says
Dudley, STANDING OVATION TO YOU!!! YOU GET IT!!!! Truly loved your closing statement!
Begonia says
Well, Wyatt….did it ever occur to you that not voting helped to cause all this mess we find ourselves in today? Because you don’t feel like participating? This time you put someone who is paid by the builders and developers to represent them on the council.
Did you know that?
Mr. McGuire, you will have to represent the rest of us. We’ll be watching your donations carefully.
Bill McGuire says
Begonia: My campaign donations are available for anyone to peruse, so please do so and feel free to question any of them.
Layla says
Seems to me you had a distinct disadvantage in donations. Take a look at those being represented by our other new councilman. Read it carefully.
http://www.flaglerhba.com/Default.aspx?pageId=645885
[email protected] says
voting means nothing when you have dishonesty , greed , and people playing both sides of the fence. the majority of the citizens know that corporate america runs DC. the banks get want they want most of the time eg. extra fees, crappy interest rates, bailouts and so on so we keep on voting and keep on getting disappointed.
Layla says
You have dishonesty, and greed because people do not vote. The citizens have been given the right to control these things with their vote.
They chose not to use that right.
Billie Maer says
Shaking my head….the people of PC voted for a home builder lobbyist yet complain about entrenched politics in Washington and the revolving door between gov’t and Wall Street/corporate America. The people of PC complain about Rick Scott yet they voted for a known lobbyist whose employers are responsible for the overbuilding and subsequent foreclosure and underwater ruin of our city.
There are several empty lots on my street, please let these be the first sites the next glut of new homes get built on. And please raze mine while you’re at it. Better for me to have no memories left to remind me of this place.
Layla says
Many moved here for various reasons, mostly the beauty and small town, and have seen their neighborhoods be destroyed by a builder seeking profit and elected officials who won’t properly oversee any of it.
Now you have a federal government funding these mixed use, low income housing complexes. Did you know that? They are forcing a glut of housing on us. Affordable housing, low income housing guarantees votes and control of the population by the politicians.
If everybody voted, our council would not make a move without the approval of the citizens, nor would the government. But the citizens have demonstrated they are not interested in exercising this constitutional right. This is why you are at their mercy. That is why they rule, not represent you.