Around half past nine, about two hours behind schedule, just as the moon hangs a light yellow low in the crisp November air I depart St. Petersburg for Oviedo. I’ll travel ‘tween these two cities three times in as many days starting on Sunday; as I have work for the University of Central Florida Friday and Saturday and for the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections on Tuesday.
Obviously, the race at the top of the ballot receives the most attention. Incumbent President Barack Hussein Obama is running for re-election against former Governor of Massachusetts Willard “Mitt” Romney.
Due to our system in the United States, that election won’t happen until the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December (that’s when the Electoral College casts their ballots for President and Vice-President).
This year the several states that will be the focus of the country are narrowed down to nine: Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New Hampshire; for a total of 110 Electoral Votes, and Florida’s 29 being the crown jewel. A majority, or 270 of the 538 (each States’ Congressional Delegation- Senators and Representatives- plus 3 from the District of Columbia) of Electoral Votes are needed to automatically become the President-Elect. In the case nobody gets a majority, 269-269, (this would be the first time since 1824), the newly-elected House of Representatives would elect the President, and the Senate would elect the Vice President from the top three Electoral Vote winners. Who voted for an Obama-Ryan or Romney-Biden ticket?
In Florida that election will come down to 10 of the 67 counties: Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Osceola, Lake, Sumter, Orange, Seminole, Volusia, and Brevard. This area is called the I-4 Corridor. I’d contend that it should be called the U.S. Route 92 Corridor, as I-4 does not go anywhere; whereas U.S. 92 serves as the Main Street for this vital passage.
There are a lot of Romney-Ryan signs on this stretch of asphalt, and it is easy to see why. The Republican ticket has been campaigning on a way to fix the economy. That argument resonates with the vacant storefronts in Lake Alfred, Lakeland, Davenport, Haines City, Auburndale and Plant City. However, there are pockets of Democrats; Kissimmee, Osceola County, Parrymore and Pine Hills in Orlando, South Tampa, St. Petersburg, and my beloved Sanford. In the St. Petersburg Times they cited the top two media markets: Tampa and Orlando with $36 and $34 million respectively. There is a reason, so goes I-4, so goes Florida, so goes the Country.
There are many part on the ballot this year; federal, state, county, and municipal. In my home of Seminole County, we have a two ballot front and back; Orange County has four pages; Miami-Dade, nine. The races down ballot, believe it or not, you have more influence over and on may be able to argue that these are more important to your everyday life than who is President.
There are other federal offices up for grabs. Our Senior Senator, Bill Nelson, is running for his third term to represent Florida in the United States Senate against Representative Connie Mack IV; Connie Mack III once occupied this seat prior to Nelson’s election in 2000 and by Lawton Chiles before Mack. Florida received two more Congressional seats to the lower chamber of Congress; Florida’s delegation to the House is currently 19-6 Republican.
There are also elections for the Florida Senate and House, which is currently 28-12 Republican in the Senate and the 81-39 Republican in the House. Democrats are expected to narrow the gaps in both chambers, perhaps even erode the veto proof majorities in both thanks to the Fair Districts Amendments of 2010.
Three Justices of the Supreme Court of Florida are up for retention election: Peggy Quince, Barbara Pariente, and Fred Lewis. The late “Walkin’” Lawton Chiles nominated all of them. Currently, all three are under attack by the Republican Party of Florida, hence the ads on Hulu that you see asking to retain them.
Members of the Court House Gang – Supervisor of Elections, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, and Clerk of the Court- are up for election. County Commissioners (Charlie Justice,) Soil & Water Commission Members, Mosquito Control Board Members, and School Board Members are also vying for your votes.
There are 11 Amendments to the State Constitution; all 11 were put forth by the legislature. My recommendation is vote no on all of these; if you vote to give an additional homestead exemption to first responders, I can live with that.
There are also municipal elections and measures on the ballot as well (they are way at the bottom, but they are there). There are too many to list, unless you are registered in Seminole County, in which case please vote to give another penny to SCPS. These are the folks that you may run into at a high school football game and be able to talk to them if there is an issue that you are concerned about.
There is a lot of civic responsibility on our shoulders. Are you going to participate? Will you make your voice heard? t really isn’t asking much, you can skip watching that episode of How I Met Your Mother and go to the polls. I don’t care who you vote for, if you want to vote for the “Charlie Sheen of Florida Politics” go right ahead, you won’t be invited to his parties. Exercise your opinion; get your “I Voted” sticker.
fkurtz@mail.usf.edu
