by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland insists the Nov. 4 election will be historic. Not just because of who’s running for president, but because he’s still expecting a voter turnout in the neighborhood of 85 percent.
Given that, Holland also knows the spotlight will be on Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama nationally and his office locally. With 284 precincts — and Jacksonville’s notorious voting history — Holland is well-aware of the potential problems. Monday, Holland — along with several local elected officials and the heads of the local Republican and Democratic parties — gathered at his office to address many of the concerns he has over the election and many of the concerns local officials have that stem from the problems in 2000.
While Holland has stated repeatedly in the recent past that his office is more than prepared for the election he still understands problems are likely to arise. With 284 precincts, Holland says the key to a smooth election is an electorate that comes to the polls with the proper identification and one that has educated themselves on the issues, candidates and amendments.
“Be prepared to stand in line on election day,” said Holland, explaining a majority of voters go to the polls the first two and last two hours the precincts are open. “The candidates for office are on the front of the ballot and the six amendments are on the back. Take the time to study the ballot. When you come to vote, know who you are going to vote for. If you don’t, you will frustrate yourself and those in line.”
One of Holland’s biggest concerns is the over 87,000 inactive voters in Duval County. These are registered voters who have moved to another address, city or state and have not updated their voter registration information. Holland said they are eligible to vote — even on election day — however, unless their information is updated in a timely manner, their vote may not count. It’s that uncounted vote that also concerns U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, who was also on hand Monday and has a simple suggestion for those who may have an issue at the polls: vote early.
“It’s crucial we have a system in place where people know there will be a fair election,” she said, adding she has “grave concerns” over the number of inactive voters.
An inactive voter is one who hasn’t voted in two consecutive general elections. Holland said his office has tried to contact all 87,000-plus, and has only gotten responses from about 10,000. He’s concerned many of the over 76,000 that haven’t responded will show up Nov. 4 and expect to be able to vote, regardless of their voter information.
The “no-match” voter may also be a problem, said Holland, explaining that this is the voter whose address on their driver’s license or Florida ID doesn’t match the information his office has on file.
“They can still vote provisional on election day,” said Holland, adding that if voters are not sure of their status, they may call the Elections Office to determine their status and voting precinct.
John Falconetti, chair of the local Republican Party, said he’s confident that Holland and his staff will handle the huge turnout. He said he understands the concerns some may have regarding voter status and voter identification. However, Falconetti also said the laws and rules are very clear.
“This office does a wonderful job applying those rules and processes,” he said. “This should be, and will be, a very exciting process. Regardless of how you intend to vote, it’s important to get out and vote.”
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