There is a mis-editorial in yesterday’s St. Petersburg Times claiming that early, mail-in voting is causing frustration in several municipal elections in Pinellas County:

Some candidates were surprised, too. Local election campaigns don’t typically kick into high gear until about six weeks before Election Day. But in mid-January candidates, started hearing from residents who had ballots and were frustrated that they had seen no information about the people running for office. Candidates scrambled to try to connect with those voters, and in some cases had to order more campaign materials — and incur extra costs — for a campaign season that grew by weeks.

I’m sorry but if the only frustration with Supervisor of Election Deborah Clark’s promotion of voting by mail is with candidates caught off guard by early balloting, then spare me the hand-wringing. Serious candidates for local office should hire political consultants and staff knowledgeable enough to help prepare them for the accelerated election calendar.

As for voters who cast their ballot early, that’s their prerogative, and to assume that they will be uninformed when doing so is the typical kind of elitist thinking that believes voters are too stupid to make the right decision. After all, no one’s forcing them to turn their ballots early. In fact, in my experience, early voters are usually the most passionate about current political events. Remember, they proactively sought out the opportunity to vote early, so why assume the worst?

I once had these similar concerns about early voting when I wrote this op-ed for the Tallahassee Democrat FOUR YEARS AGO:

“Absentee voting is dramatically changing the nature of elections – and not necessarily for the better. Campaigns must begin earlier and spend more time and money to “track” absentee ballot requestors. As an example, each county’s election supervisor typically produces for campaign managers a daily list of the voters who request an absentee ballot. The names on these lists are quickly input into databases, so that each receives a first-class mailing, a candidate visit or telephone calls. Obviously, this is an expensive operation. In fact, in the campaigns I’ve worked for, the tracking program described here is often the second-highest expense behind television airtime. When it comes down to it, identifying absentee voting by that name is a sham.”

Some candidates got ahead of the curve and have been pushing their supporters to vote early. Now the participation in early voting is overwhelming. Just look at the overwheling response early voting has had already. The Supervisor’s office posts a running tab of how many ballots have been turned in. Across the county, OVERALL turnout is already at 25 percent — a number much higher than previous turnout figures.

So turnout is up, voter participation is increasing and candidates have to run fuller, more expanded campaigns that cannot rely on last-minute negative attacks, all the while decreasing the pressure and financial burden on the SOE’s office. And this is bad for democracy?

With each new tale, I became more and more committed to … voting on Election Day. Now there’s an idea!

I felt sure I would be redeemed by a short, efficient trip to the voting booth. Hoping to miss the rush hour, I chose to show up about 9:15 a.m. at my precinct in northeast St. Pete. How did it all work out? Did I turn out to be smarter than my co-workers? Here’s a quick video diary of my Election Day experience.

Fuck Deborah Clark. The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections has proven herself incompetent this election cycle. Unless two hour wait times to vote are your idea of a job well done. In that case, you must be a Republican with voter suppression on his mind, because under no other objective evaluation could what is currently going on at at the three (THREE!) sites for early voting in Pinellas County be called a success.

That’s not to say it’s a horrible experience. I voted this morning at the First Avenue N. location in downtown St. Pete, arriving just after 9:30 a.m. Despite the long line, the mood of the voters seemed light and relaxed. The weather was gorgeous. People joked around and yakked on cell phones. I even spotted CL Street Teamer Shawn Alff engrossed in a book.

An Obama volunteer named Mike supplied the crowd with free bottled water and cheatsheats on voting a straight Dem ticket before making a speech pushing Jack Killingsworth, Deb Clark’s challenger for Supervisor of Elections. Mike had help from an older woman (I never caught her name) who handed out Obama ‘08 stickers and explained to the crowd that they would be allowed to wear them inside. (About half the folks who took a sticker pocketed it, for fear that the woman was wrong. She wasn’t.) There were also attorney’s on hand to assist any voters who had questions or problems voting. Again, no thanks to Deborah Clark.

The only real unpleasantness went down right before I got inside. Due to the location of the door to the voting office, the line snaked in front of a driveway that ran along the side of the building. There was a rent-a-cop guy out front; we’ll call him Tik-Tok. Tik-Tok’s main job was to keep people from blocking the driveway by splitting the line and leaving a gap of 15 feet or so. Small groups would then move across the drive when there was enough room for them to reach the sidewalk on the other side. I crossed in a group of 12, of which only about seven made it up the curb. Myself and several other people ended up near the curb but still in the street. Tik-Tok bumbled over and began SCREAMING, “Back up or move forward! Don’t block the drive! BACK UP! MOVE FORWARD! BACK UP!” His sudden, confusing vocal agression was incredibly heavy-handed. Simply explaining what we needed to do would have been fine. Instead, Tik-Tok went into a rage.

Though I was in the street, I never moved because it was clear that Tik-Tok’s ravings weren’t aimed at me. Instead, they were aimed at the African-American gentleman standing two feet to my left — and that guy was having none of it. Dude whipped out his phone, dialed and began yelling back at Tik-Tok, “You’re done! You’re going home! You’re OUTTA HERE!”  Tik-Tok waddled away and was off the street by the time I was finished voting. I have no idea if they angry voter’s phone call had something to do with it, but I like to think it did.

Once inside, the actual voting was fairly simple. My ID matched my voter ID card and I had a printed ballot in my hands withing one minute of presenting them. I was forced to vote with a Bic ball-point pen (a marker would have been easier on the wrist), but that’s a minor quibble.

(Note: Editor David Warner reports that when he went to vote at the same location this morning, he brought an absentee ballot he had received in the mail but does not recall requesting. Had he not have brought the ballot, he would not have been allowed to vote — unless he was willing to fib and tell the poll worker that he never received it, in which case they would have let him vote. So, let that be a lesson: Bring the absentee ballot with you or lie and risk prison. You make the call.)

Let me take a moment at the end and to say “Thank You!” to the poll workers. Everyone (save Tik-Tok) was extremely professional and did his or her best to make the situation easy on everybody. All told, the actual voting took less than 10 minutes, and that is a credit to the poll workers. You guys are doing a far better job than Deborah Clark. I hope that come next year you have a new boss.

• Florida gets much love as the candidates crisscross the state.
• Millions vote early, immediately smash televisions…
• …but not necessarily the Youth Vote.
• Bill stumps with Obama in Kissimmee. Three words we enjoy in any sentence: Bill, stumps and Kissimmee.
• McCain to LAT: Screw your journalistic principles, gimme that damned Obama video.
• Larry King was in town yesterday? I knew there was a reason I felt really icky all day.
• One of the 2,466 keyboardists who ever played with Jerry Garcia is dead.
• The worst part is that I had a ticket for game 6.
• There you go again, Sarah Palin.
• Can someone explain how the U.S. faces deflation after the Fed has created all this money?
• Trouble ahead for Facebook?
• 15 technologies that are about to change everything.
• God help us all: The Beatles go digital with their own edition of Rock Band.

I’ll jump to the conclusion: this paper ballot stuff sucks and I long for the days of the touch-screen machine.

I lit out of the office at about 11:30 a.m. to vote, and after circling the block once found a parking spot. The entire street on the north side of the library was full, as was the parking lot across the street, in back of the post office. I got in line with what looked like about 60-70 people ahead of me, as Obama volunteers handed out literature and a poll watcher came by with bottles of water. The poll watcher made a crack about not having any Scotch to go with the water, and I damned near left the line to go get one. Would have taken the edge off the cold and the wait ahead.

They let people inside in groups of 15, and each group took about 15-20 minutes to cycle through, so I spent about 45 minutes in line outside and another 15 or so inside until I got to the woman manning the voting computer. “Your picture ID, please,” she said. I had to repeat to her my current address, then read a placard that threatened me with jail if I was bullshitting her about anything, then sign my name on an electronic keypad instead of the old paper record. What a pain in the ass. There was an elderly lady next to me who, I swear, like tried to sign the electronic keypad 30 or 40 times without it registering. She apparently couldn’t get it right or muster enough strength to have the pen make an impression. What a nightmare.

After I did all that song and dance, the poll worker hit a button and my paper ballot started spitting out of the printer. This printing process took about 30 seconds or so, as opposed to the digital cards that touch-screens used to have, which took almost no time to program. I then was handed my two paper ballots inside of a “privacy folder” and was directed to a voting booth. The black felt-tip marker at the booth worked, just barely, and I started marking the two pages.

Now, here is where I screwed up.

Damned-near lulled asleep by the long wait, I marked the “yes” and “no” bubbles in one judicial retention race. This is technically called an overvote. I kept marking the ballot and figured, “what the hell, I don’t care about that race anyway and can live with the fact that my vote won’t count in that one race.”

Wrong.

After filling in both pages of the ballot, I walked over to the machine where you feed your ballot in and it is verified. Most ballots go through and, after a screen says your ballot has been accepted it is lodged in the guts of the scan reader.

Not mine. It gets spit back out. “Overvote,” the screen reads.

Shit.

I tell a poll worker, who directs me to another table where misfits, goofballs, folks without proper voter registration and Sidney, Mohammet, Jugdish and Clayton are seated. My privacy folder was surrendered to the poll worker, who filled out a form on a huuuuuuge gray envelope, with my name and the description “Dumbass” next to it (OK, I made that last part up) and then I had to sign my name attesting to my own stupidity and then she carefully, so as not to see how I voted, wrote some of kind words on each of my paper ballots and put them into the spoiled ballots gray huge envelope and then wrote  on a tiny slip of paper the numbers 1&2 and told me to get back in line for another ballot.

Back in line. Behind four others. At this point I considered just throwing in the towel and writing off my vote. But I hung in there. Another 7 minutes goes by and I was back at the same poll worker, a nice person, who gave me my first ballots. “I screwed up and have to do it again,” I said with all of the shame of a third-grader who didn’t do his finger-painting right the first time.

After a less-intensive grilling I got my two new ballots and vow to fill in only those races that really matter to me; sorry, judges who want to be retained. By this time, I had lost my patience. I did get it right the second time and fed the ballots into the eating machine and then raced for the door, picking up my prized “I Voted” sticker. I vowed never to cast another ballot in the state of Florida.

Total elapsed time: 1:15.

The thrill of voting in another flawed Florida election: Priceless

Jack Killingsworth, a Democrat running against Clark, sent out this news release today:

Candidate, community leaders and disgruntled voters will be unveiling a giant “Wait Clock” in front of Debra Clark, Pinellas County Supervisor of Election office on Wednesday.  All in an effort to encourage her to respond to the continuous calls from voters as well as local papers to expand early voting locations and address the unreasonably long wait times.

Jack Killingsworth is introducing giant “wait clocks” at the three early voting sites beginning on Wednesday morning at 10:30 AM. These clocks keep track of the wait times of voters at each early voting location to show voters how long they must wait to cast their ballot. A reminder for voters that Mr. Killingsworth is committed to setting up voting procedures where each voter can votes in 15 minutes or less. “The hour plus wait times in Pinellas County are unacceptable,” Mr. Killingworth stated. “And for the first time since 1976, I am giving voters a real choice,” reminding voters that he is the first Democrat to run for Supervisor of Elections in 32 years.

At a recent meeting with the ACLU and members of the public, Supervisor Clark was asked if she had a time goal for the maximum amount of time a voter should wait to vote. She said she didn’t and commented to several people attending the ACLU event that they were “lucky” to “only” spend 45 minutes waiting to early vote in the Presidential election four years ago at an early voting site she has since closed. “It’s not a question of funding,” Mr. Killingsworth challenged, “it’s about competent administration and a question of commitment to voter convenience.”

Jimmy Buffett to Headline Last Chance for Change Rally & Concert for Barack Obama
in Tampa Nov. 2nd
Free Concert Information at FL.BarackObama.com

TAMPA – Two days before Election Day, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, the legendary Jimmy Buffett will hold a free concert in Tampa to support Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change.

A Florida resident, Buffett will perform for thousands of Florida voters – for free – to urge them to cast their votes for Barack Obama on Tuesday, November 4. Obama’s Campaign for Change encourages voters to cast their ballots during Early Voting, which ends Saturday, November 1 in most counties.

Tickets can only be obtained by visiting one of the Campaign for Change Early Vote information tables at locations listed below and are limited to two per person. Visit FL.BarackObama.com or call 1-877-2FL-OBAMA for more information.

Ticket drop details after the jump.

TICKET LOCATIONS:

***Tickets are available starting at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, October 29.  Early Vote information tables are open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.***

***For security reasons, do not bring bags and please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted.***

Early Vote Distribution Centers:

BRADENTON
J&J Bar-B-Q
B2620 8th St W
Bradenton, FL
VOTE AT:
Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office
600 301 Boulevard West, Suite 118
Bradenton, FL

CLEARWATER
Campaign for Change Sub-Office – Clearwater
34 North Fort Harrison Ave
Clearwater, FL
VOTE AT:
Pinellas County Courthouse
315 Court St, Room 117
Clearwater, FL

Campaign for Change – Clearwater
133 North Fort Harrison Ave
Clearwater, FL
VOTE AT:
Pinellas County Courthouse
315 Court St, Room 117
Clearwater, FL

HOLIDAY
South Holiday Library
4649 Mile Stretch Dr
Holiday, FL
VOTE AT:
South Holiday Library
4649 Mile Stretch Dr
Holiday, FL

LAKELAND
Campaign for Change – Lakeland
5385 Gateway Blvd, Bays 12-14
Lakeland, FL
VOTE AT:
Lakeland Courthouse
930 E Parker St
Lakeland, FL

Mitchell’s Coffee House
235 N Kentucky Ave
Lakeland, FL
VOTE AT:
Lakeland Courthouse
930 E Parker St
Lakeland, FL

LAND O’LAKES
Rapscallions Restaurant
4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd
Land O’ Lakes, FL
VOTE AT:
Land O’ Lakes SOE Office
Clark Professional Center
4111 Land O’Lakes Blvd, Room 105
Land O’ Lakes, FL

LARGO
Professional Surveys
8550 Ulmerton Rd
Largo, FL
VOTE AT:
Starkey Lakes Corporate Center
13001 Starkey Rd
Largo, FL

NEW PORT RICHEY
Campaign for Change – New Port Richey
4809 Grand Blvd, Suite P
New Port Richey, FL
VOTE AT:
South Holiday Branch Library
4649 Mile Stretch Dr
Holiday, FL
Or
West Pasco Government Center
7530 Little Rd, Suite 110
New Port Richey, FL

The Breakfast Station
7335 Little Rd
New Port Richey, FL
VOTE AT:
West Pasco Gov Center
7530 Little Rd, Suite 110
New Port Richey, FL

PLANT CITY
Wisdom Center Smoke House
624 S Evers St
Plant City, FL
VOTE AT:
Plant City – City Hall
302 West Reynolds St
Plant City, FL

SARASOTA
Buddha Belly Donuts
1990 Main St, Suite 112
Sarasota, FL
VOTE AT:
Sarasota County Terrace Building
2001 Adams Lane
Sarasota, FL

ST. PETERSBURG
Campaign for Change – St Petersburg
2321 Central Ave
St Petersburg, FL
VOTE AT:
County Building
501 1st Avenue North
St Petersburg, FL

Globe Café
532 1st Ave North
St Petersburg, FL
VOTE AT:
County Building
501 1st Avenue North
St Petersburg, FL

TAMPA
Campaign for Change – Tampa Downtown
817 East Washington St
Tampa, FL
VOTE AT:
County Center
601 E Kennedy Blvd
Tampa, FL

Campaign for Change – Tampa USF
14519 North 18th Street
Tampa, FL
VOTE AT:
Temple Terrace Library
202 Bullard Pkwy
Temple Terrace, FL

Cut N’ Style
3817 S Manhattan Ave
Tampa, FL
VOTE AT:
Jan Platt Regional Library
3910 S Manhattan Ave
Tampa, FL

Joe Chillura Courthouse Square
602 E Kennedy Blvd
Tampa, FL
VOTE AT:
County Center
601 E Kennedy Blvd
Tampa, FL

Salcines Park
1705 N Howard Ave
Tampa, FL
VOTE AT:
West Tampa Library
2312 West Union St
Tampa, FL

Terrace Sports
5311 E Busch Blvd
Temple Terrace, FL
VOTE AT:
Temple Terrace Library
202 Bullard Pkwy
Temple Terrace, FL

Urban Culinary Cuisine
10016 Cross Creek Blvd
Tampa, FL
VOTE AT:
New Tampa Library
10001 Cross Creek Blvd
Tampa, FL

WESLEY CHAPEL
Winner’s Sports Grill
5429 Village Market
Wesley Chapel, FL
VOTE AT:
Wesley Chapel Village Center
5325 Village Market
Wesley Chapel, FL