It is virtually impossible these days to open a paper or turn on any type of television news and not be inundated with coverage of the presidential election — or “You Decide” as the national media has coined the race.
While it’s clear John McCain will get the Republican nod, the Democrats may still be bickering between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama well after the primaries are over, particularly with the unique effect the so-called “super delegates” will have on the race.
The Daily Record posed several election questions to Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland in an effort to help clarify exactly what’s going on right now and what may happen this fall.
The national media has themed this year’s election “You Decide.” Does this imply that for the first time in U.S. history, those who go to the polls will determine the next president?
“‘You Decide’ means if you do not go to the polls, you will be letting someone else decide for you.”
The national Democratic Party “discounted” the primaries in Florida and Michigan. What does this mean and why did they do it?
“Both parties have rules they require the states to adhere to. Those rules affect when a state can hold their primary. Without the rules all states might want to be first, causing it very difficult for candidates with little momentum or money to be everywhere needed. Florida did have a valid reason for moving up from the end of March to an earlier date, because Florida has the fourth largest number of delegates. Also, Florida has a very diverse population and can be reflective of how candidates might fare nationally. I believe both parties want Florida to count, but to exempt Florida from the rules might only cause greater problems four years from now. In hindsight, Florida should have moved up to the first Tuesday in February — “Super Tuesday” — for which they still would have gotten the attention of all the candidates and the national media that night.”
What are the ramifications locally of a “do-over” Democratic primary at the polls?
“The most important factor is the cost and the time it will take away from the training that will go into preparing for our fall elections. The election must occur no later than June 3rd. This is the date for the last primaries to be conducted nationally. Time must also be given to send out ballots overseas, which is normally 35 days before an election.”
What about a mail-in primary some Democratic leaders are proposing?
“The cost would be half the cost of going to the polls on election day. I would hope we would be able to send out ballots 35 days prior to the election day. Voters would have to return their ballot by 7 p.m. on the given day of the election. Many voters have not voted absentee and may not realize that they must sign the absentee envelope in the same way they signed their registration application. When signatures do not match, the votes are not counted. Also, five percent of all voters move without letting us know their new address and ballots cannot be forwarded.”
Regardless what happens in the Democratic party, do you anticipate some sort of legal action by either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama?
“I believe as difficult as it might be to go to a convention when one candidate does not have enough delegates to win straight out, both candidates know that a party not united after the convention will not win in November.”
You hear the terms “delegate” and “super delegate” all the time. What are they and how do they affect votes for a nomination?
“Democratic Delegates are elected by voters from each Congressional District. Based on how many votes their candidate receives determines how many delegates can be elected for each candidate. Super delegates are members of the Democratic National Committee.”
Do the delegate votes supersede the popular vote? Do the super delegate votes supersede the delegate votes?
“Delegates are sent to the convention to represent the candidate they were elected to represent and the number of delegates is based on the popular votes the candidate received. Based on party rules and if a winner is not decided on the first round of voting at the convention, the delegates can be released in later rounds to vote as they see fit. For example the Edwards’ delegates can be released after the first round of voting to vote for whom they desire. The reason why is because there must be a method to break ties and to acquire enough delegates without holding new primaries across the country. Super delegates come in when there is a need to break a tie or when one candidate does not have enough delegates to win with the required number of delegates.”
This may be the most covered and expensive election ever. Will that drive voters to the polls in November and what kind of turnout are you expecting?
“Yes, dollars spent to promote different candidate platforms and the importance of voting in this election does increase voter participation. Duval County is projecting a 78 percent turnout in November.”
Has the election affected voter registration in any way?
Yes, Duval County currently has 564,142 voters — an increase of more than 70,000 voters since 2004. We will see that number increase another 25,000 this year.