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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Brian Corley

Pasco voters to weigh in on key races

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The Primary 2020 ballot is not long in Pasco County, but there are some key races in the election set for Aug. 18.

Some voters will make their way to the polls to cast their ballots on Election Day, but many will have already voted, or mailed in their ballots.

It remains unclear how concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic will affect voter turnout, but election supervisors in both Hillsborough and Pasco counties have reported efforts to ensure the safety of both poll workers and voters.

Such measures include social distancing and ongoing cleaning. As a result, lines at the polls could be longer, the supervisors in both counties have said.

In Pasco County, all voters will be able to cast ballots in the universal primary contest for the Pasco County Commission District 4 race.

The candidates are competing to fill the seat that was vacated by Mike Wells, who ran for County Property Appraiser and was elected.

In universal primary contests all voters can participate, because all of the candidates in the race are from the same party, and there is no opposition in the general election.

Those vying for the Pasco County Commission District 4 seat are Gary Bradford, Christina “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick, Jeff Miller and Gabriel “Gabe” Papadopoulos.

In another race, Republican voters will choose whether they want Kurt S. Browning or David LaRoche to represent the party in the Nov. 3 general election.

Meanwhile, voters will have a choice between Alison Crumbley or Joshua Stringfellow, in the nonpartisan race for the District 4 seat on the Pasco County School Board.

The polls will be open on Aug. 18 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Some seats have already been settled in Pasco County.

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano, Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles and Sheriff Chris Nocco each will serve another four years — since no opponents came forward to challenge them by the qualifying deadline in the 2020 election.

Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley also will serve another four years, as his opponent withdrew. And, Wells has been elected to Pasco County Property Appraiser, since his opponent Gary Joiner did not qualify.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley will serve another term in District 1, because opponent Christopher King withdrew. And, Pasco School Board District 2 incumbent Colleen Beaudoin has won another term because her opponent Adrienne G. Wilson withdrew.

A number of other races will be decided in the Nov. 3 general election, including the District 3 and District 5 seats on the Pasco County Commission.

Other races on the ballot will determine who will represent Florida’s 12th congressional district and who will represent District 36, District 37 and District 38, in the Florida House. A special election also will be held to choose a new representative in the Florida Senate, District 20.

To find out early voting locations or for other election information, visit PascoVotes.gov.

Pasco Active Registered Voters*
Republican: 151,859
Democratic: 115,807
No Party: 106,532
Minor Party: 5,723

Total: 379,921

*As of 08/09/2020
Source: Pasco County Supervisor of Elections

Published August 12, 2020

Voting during the time of COVID-19

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Supervisors of election in Pasco and Hillsborough counties both have reported how they will proceed with carrying out the Primary Election on Aug. 18, during the midst of a global pandemic.

Local elections supervisors gear up for the Aug. 18 primary. Early voting has begun in Hillsborough County and begins soon in Pasco County. (File)

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley has announced his office will be using safety measures in accordance with guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to ensure the well-being of poll workers and voters.

In a news release, Corley said his office strongly encourages voters to consider voting by mail, but added voting by mail, in-person early voting and Election Day voting will be available. Early voting in Pasco is Aug. 8 through Aug. 15.

The Pasco Supervisor of Elections also noted that those choosing to vote in-person should expect longer wait times as his office uses precautionary measures, such as limiting the number of people inside the polling room and continuous cleaning of equipment and surfaces.

“With advanced notice, the expectation is that voters will be understanding and remain patient while waiting in line,” the news release adds.

Pasco’s safety measures include:

  • Mandatory masks and/or face shields for poll workers
  • Availability of single-use styli for electronic signature pads
  • Optional use of reusable ballot secrecy sleeves
  • Hands-free check-in with Florida driver license and Florida ID cards via 2D barcode readers
  • Option to use personal blue or black marking pens to mark ballots
  • Available disposable masks for voters, which is strongly encouraged per the county directive and may be required at some voting locations
  • Social distancing while in line outside and inside the polling place
  • Minimization of touch point contamination through ongoing cleaning of surfaces, voting pens, voting machines, etc.
    Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer also has detailed his plans for in-person and Vote By Mail for the upcoming 2020 elections.

“As always, we will offer no-excuse Vote By Mail, postage-paid return envelopes for Vote By Mail, and the maximum number of Early Voting days for Hillsborough County voters,” Latimer said, in a website posting.

“And while some of our Election Day polling places are unavailable to us, the large majority have been confirmed and will be open.

Hillsborough County will have 24 Early Voting sites, and during early voting, curbside tents will be outside each of those sites, for voters who wish to drop off a Vote By Mail ballot. Early voting in Hillsborough is Aug. 3 through Aug. 16.

Vote By Mail ballots also can be dropped off at any of the four elections offices in Hillsborough County.

On Election Day, 239 locations will be open, which includes a loss of 21 locations that became unavailable due to COVID-19. Voters who will experience a polling change will be notified by mail, by Latimer’s office.

Like Corley, Latimer expects in-person voting to take longer than usual because of safety precautions aimed at protecting voters and poll workers.

For more information about voting in Pasco County, visit PascoVotes.gov.

For more information about voting in Hillsborough County, visit VoteHillsborough.gov.

Published August 05, 2020

Political Agenda 06/24/2020

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Pasco voters won’t have to pay for postage
Supervisor of Elections Brian E. Corley has announced that voters who wish to vote-by-mail in the primary and general election will not have to pay postage to send in their ballot.

In a news release, Corley said that the step is being taken due to the unprecedented nature of the 2020 election cycle.

“Although the impact of COVID-19 on the election cycle is largely unknown, at a minimum, I believe that social distancing guidelines may inevitably create long lines and wait times at Early Voting Sites and Election Day polling places,” Corley said, in the release. “We are promoting vote-by-mail as a third option for casting a ballot in hopes of mitigating any inconvenience to voters at the polls. In these unprecedented times we are also taking the extra step of paying return postage for vote-by-mail ballots as a way of assisting voters to safely cast their ballot.”
Florida has had no-excuse absentee voting since 2002, and in 2016 the term absentee was officially changed to vote-by-mail by unanimous vote of the Florida Legislature. Requesting a vote-by-mail ballot can be done online at PascoVotes.gov, by phone at (800) 851-8754, or by signed written request (include your date of birth) mailed to P.O. Box 300, Dade City, FL 33526.

Vote-by-mail ballots are mailed approximately 40 days prior to each election when a request is on file, but voters can continue to request ballots up to 10 days before an election with requests being processed within 24 hours.

For more information on voting by mail, see our FAQ at PascoVotes.gov.

Burgess receives endorsements
Danny Burgess, who is running to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Tom Lee, in Florida Senate District 20, has received the endorsement of Lee and Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to Burgess’ campaign. Burgess, a Republican, is facing Democrat Kathy Lewis.

Published June 24, 2020

Pasco municipal elections set for June 30

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Municipal elections for the cities of Dade City and San Antonio are scheduled for June 30.

The local elections — which will decide various city commission seats — originally were  scheduled for April, but were delayed due to COVID-19.

The Dade City voting precinct is at First Baptist Church Dade City, 37511 Church Ave., in Dade City.

San Antonio’s precinct is at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 12110 Main St., in San Antonio.

Municipal elections in Dade City and San Antonio are scheduled for June 30. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (File)

Polls for both races will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Poll workers at each precinct will be following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines of social distancing, mask-wearing and sanitation, Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley told The Laker/Lutz News.

“Anyone that does show up for election day voting, there will be those safety precautions in place. We’re not expecting a huge turnout, but for voters that do show up, they can expect to get out of there rather quickly, and we’ll take care of them,” Corley said.

For those cautious about heading to the polls amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the elections supervisor suggests voting by mail instead. Request a vote-by-mail ballot by calling (800) 851-8754, or in writing to P.O. Box 300, Dade City, FL 33526. Vote-by-mail ballots are due back in the elections’ office by 7 p.m., election day.

Whether it’s a polling place or via mail, Corley emphasized the importance for city residents to cast a ballot in the local elections.

“These municipal offices are the closest to the people and traditionally have the lowest turnout, and it should be the opposite,” Corley said. “It’s the old adage, ‘If you don’t vote, you can’t complain,’ so I would encourage all voters to come out and get their voice heard.”

Here is a closer look at the elections:

Dade City
Six candidates are running for three open seats on the Dade City Commission — for Groups 3, 4 and 5.

In Group 3, two-term incumbent Jim Shive is facing challenger Matthew Wilson. Shive is a retired government employee. Wilson is a data entry clerk for the United Parcel Service.

Groups 4 and 5 seats will see fresh faces, as Nicole Deese Newlon and Eunice Penix are not seeking re-election. Newlon served one four-year term after she won in 2016, while Penix has held her seat since 1993.

Vying for Newlon’s Group 4 seat are Ann Cosentino and Knute Nathe.

Cosentino owns a communications/branding consulting firm. Nathe is an attorney with McCLain Alfonso P.A.

Christopher King and Normita Woodard are facing off for Penix’s Group 5 seat. King is the founder of The Gentleman’s Course Inc., a local youth mentorship charity. Woodard is a secretary at Lacoochee Elementary School.

San Antonio
Five candidates are vying to fill three open seats on the San Antonio City Commission.

Incumbents Elayne Bassinger and Sarah Schrader are running and Joseph Couture, John Vogel and Dacia Wadsworth Mitchell fill out the field.

Unlike the head-to-head matchups of other municipalities, the top three overall vote-getters earn commission seats. San Antonio commissioners serve two-year terms.

For more voting information, call the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections office at (800) 851-8754 or (352) 521-4302, or visit PascoVotes.gov.

Published June 24, 2020

Some 2020 races decided; others up for grabs

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Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano, Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles and Sheriff Chris Nocco each will serve another four years — since no opponents came forward to challenge them by the qualifying deadline in the 2020 election.

Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley also will serve another four years, as his opponent withdrew. And, Mike Wells has been elected to Pasco County Property Appraiser, since his opponent Gary Joiner did not qualify.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley will serve another term in District 1, because opponent Christopher King withdrew. And, Pasco School Board District 2 incumbent Colleen Beaudoin has won another term because her opponent Adrienne G. Wilson withdrew.

Seats in other political races remain up for grabs.

Pasco School Board District 4 incumbent Alison Crumbley faces Joshua M. Stringfellow.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning is being challenged by David P. LaRoche and Cynthia Thompson.

Republican Kathryn Starkey incumbent in the race for Pasco County Commission District 3 faces Democrat challenger Jessica McCoy Stempien.

In District 4, an election is being held to fill the seat that’s being vacated two years early by Wells, who decided to run for county appraiser. Four Republican candidates are vying for the seat: Gary Bradford, Christina M. Fitzpatrick, Russell “Jeff’ Miller and Gabriel (Gabe) Papadopoulus.

Pasco County Commission District 5 incumbent Republican Jack Mariano faces challengers Brandi Geoit, a Democrat, and Victor Rodriguez, with no party affiliation.

Meanwhile, at the state level, another familiar face has stepped forward.

Republican Danny Burgess, of Zephyrhills, is competing with Democrat Kathy Lewis in a special election in Senate District 20. They are vying to fill the seat of Tom Lee, who stepped away from the seat early.

Published June 24, 2020

Pasco municipal elections set for June 30

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Municipal elections for the cities of Dade City and San Antonio have been rescheduled to June 30, per an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The local elections were originally supposed to be held April 14, but were delayed due to COVID-19.

The announcement of the rescheduled elections came in a press release from the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Office.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley officially made the request on behalf of the municipalities for a rescheduled election back on April 27. The governor’s office finally granted the request on May 15, when Executive Order 20-124 was issued.

In Dade City, six candidates are running for three open seats on the Dade City Commission — for Groups 3, 4 and 5.

In San Antonio, five candidates are vying to fill three open seats on the San Antonio City Commission.

There will not be a municipal election for the city of Zephyrhills because there is no longer a contested race. A city mayoral race was initially set between incumbent Gene Whitfield and Justin Docherty, but Docherty has since dropped out of the race after failing to properly qualify for the local election. Meanwhile, Seat 2 councilman Alan Knight has retained his seat after running unopposed.

Municipal elections are for voters residing within the city limits only.

Sample ballots are available at PascoVotes.gov, and election results will be posted on the website when they become available.

Voting by mail is an option for municipal residents. Request for a vote-by-mail ballot by calling (800) 851-8754, or in writing to P.O. Box 300, Dade City FL 33526. Written requests must include your date of birth and signature. Vote-by-mail ballots are due back in the elections’ office by 7 p.m., election day.

All voters going to the polls for municipal elections should bring photo and signature identification, or they will be required to vote a provisional ballot. Voters also are encouraged to update their voter registration record with any changes prior to election day by calling (800) 851-8754.

For more information, visit PascoVotes.gov, or call (800) 851-8754.

Published June 03, 2020

Election supervisors seek more flexibility

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The Florida Supervisors of Elections — an organization representing all 67 county election supervisors across the state — is seeking greater flexibility regarding how elections are conducted during the remainder of the 2020 election cycle.

The organization has asked that Gov. Ron DeSantis issue an executive order granting more flexibility, in light of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Brian Corley said county supervisor of elections across the state are asking Gov. Ron DeSantis to grant more flexibility in how elections are conducted during the remainder of the 2020 election cycle. (File)

The request asks that the executive order modify current Florida Elections Code to allow for more flexibility in meeting the challenges of staffing the polls, securing polling locations, and providing additional voting methods, according to Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley.

The goal is to lessen the impact to in-person voting due to worker shortages and fewer polling locations, Corley said.

To that end, supervisors of elections across the state are asking that they be allowed to designate additional early voting sites, extend the early voting period to 22 days prior to and up until 7 p.m. on election day, and the flexibility of consolidating polling places and/or relocating them to early voting sites.

Now, early voting across the state ranges between eight and 14 days, Corley said.

The additional flexibility being requested is important, Corley said.

“Going into the Presidential Preference Primary, back on March 17, we had some immense challenges,” he said. “We had several hundred poll workers that respectfully bowed out, because of concerns about their health.”

“Our poll workers are generally senior citizens. They’re concerned for their health and their safety. Couldn’t blame them at all,” he said.

When that happened, Corley said he reached out to Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles, Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco for help.

“Due to schools being closed, we got a tremendous response from teachers and school-related personnel, and others,” Corley said.

Additionally, at the last minute, he said, “we lost polling places.”

So, polling sites had to be consolidated.

“We limped through the PPP (Presidential Preference Primary).

“We’re looking ahead toward the fall, and if we have a similar situation, or fear of a similar situation, we’re going to have a serious issue with adequate poll workers,” Corley said.

“We’re being proactive as the state association of supervisors of elections, basically saying to the governor — ‘We need some flexibility.’”

“I’ve had people say, ‘Why don’t we just do all mail ballots?’

“I’m not opposed to that. I think that would be a great solution, however you can’t flip a switch and make that happen. It takes about a year,” Corley said.

Flexibility is needed because Florida is diverse.

“What Miami-Dade needs is not the same as what Pasco needs. What Pasco needs is not the same as what Clay County needs,” he said.

“Vote by mail right now is about a third of the vote,” he said, but predicts it will increase to about 60%.

“The reason we’re asking for Early Voting is because they are larger facilities. We can control some of the safety, as far as the protocols for social distancing.

“Having larger facilities would incorporate our model to get voters in and out, expeditiously and safely,” he said.

“You could see a model where you don’t have your traditional election day polling places,” he said.

Rather, there could be 15 to 20 early voting sites that are larger facilities that would take the place of election day, neighborhood polling places.

“The problem is, you can’t just decide mid-October to do X,Y and Z. You have to plan for it now,” Corley said.

“Quite frankly, all options are on the table.

“We know this, we have to have an election. It’s in the constitution. You can’t just defer the presidential election in November. It’s going to happen, and we’re going to make it work. We just have to be a little innovative on how we do it,” Corley said.

Vote-by-Mail ballots
If you would like to vote by mail, go online to PascoVotes.gov, call (800) 851-8754 or send a handwritten request to Brian E. Corley, P.O. Box 300, Dade City, Florida, 33526-0300. Handwritten requests must include your signature and date of birth.

Florida voters have had the option for no-excuse voting by mail and utilization has increased exponentially since its inception.

Requests for vote-by-mail are accepted daily and can be made for up to two election cycles. Ballots are mailed approximately 40 days prior to any election, and per Florida Law, are due back in the Supervisor of Elections’ Office by 7 p.m. Election Day.

Published April 29, 2020

Pasco municipal elections postponed

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Municipal elections in Pasco County were supposed to take place April 14, but instead are delayed indefinitely per an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The action was taken in the wake of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

The elections for the cities of Dade City, San Antonio and Zephyrhills will be rescheduled “as soon as is practicable,” Executive Order 20-97 states.

Pasco County municipal elections have been postponed indefinitely, per an executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Courtesy of Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Office)

The governor’s order says the election postponement is necessary “in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote, to minimize citizen exposure to danger during this emergency, and to protect the integrity of the electoral process.”

The initial request to delay the local city elections came from Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley, who cited the “health and safety” of voters and poll workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Pasco was the first county in the state to request such a delay.

Corley had ongoing discussions on the matter with intermediaries Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee, State Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews and incoming Senate president Wilton Simpson.

The elections supervisor made the request on behalf of the municipalities April 2. The governor’s executive order was issued April 8.

“I’m very pleased and appreciate the governor moving as expeditiously as he did,” Corley told The Laker/Lutz News. “I think the governor made a really good decision to look out for the citizens and the voters.”

As for a new date, Corley said the elections office is “very, very tentatively” eyeing sometime in June as a possibility to hold the municipal elections.

The elections supervisor previously called for those elections to be held on the Aug. 18 state primary election date.

However, Corley pointed out that could prove problematic for multiple reasons.

Here’s why: The elections office would have to find a way to create separate ballots for those who already voted by mail in the municipal elections, so those voters don’t accidentally or deliberately vote twice for those elections. Another scenario would have been to just discount all vote-by-mail ballots already collected, which may not be viewed as legitimate in the eyes of voters and candidates.

With that, Corley noted “it’s a lot cleaner” to just hold those municipal elections at a date sometime before the primary — coordinating with the cities and polling places.

The county elections office has since reopened vote-by-mail requests, and is encouraging voters to use that method for convenience and safety sake. People can do so by visiting PascoVotes.gov.

“I can tell you, if you vote by mail, you can make sure your vote counts, your voice counts,” Corley said.

Meanwhile, the election delay ultimately could result in higher turnout for the city elections, Corley said, as more time has been given to citizens register to vote or request a vote-by-mail ballot.

The prospect of that is “exciting for the cities” and “seems to me like a win-win,” Corley said.

In Dade City, six candidates are running for three open seats on the Dade City Commission — for Groups 3, 4 and 5.

In San Antonio, five candidates are vying to fill three open seats on the San Antonio City Commission.

In the City of Zephyrhills there are two races on the ballot. One is for mayor and the other for District 2.

For more information, visit PascoVotes.gov, or call (800) 851-8754.

Published April 15, 2020

Pasco seeks to delay municipal elections

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UPDATE: Postponed indefinitely per Executive Oder 20-97 from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Elections will be rescheduled “as soon as practicable.”

In the wake of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley is seeking to delay the April 14 municipal elections Dade City, Zephyrhills and San Antonio.

To that end, Corley has requested Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to move back the local county elections to the Aug. 18 state primary election date.

Corley told The Laker/Lutz News he’s had ongoing discussions on the matter with intermediaries Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee, State Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews, and incoming Senate president Wilton Simpson.

However, no decision was made by The Laker/Lutz News Monday press deadline.

Corley cited the “health and safety” of voters and poll workers in wanting reschedule the municipal elections.

The elections supervisor said it doesn’t make sense “having the public come to an election day polling place, to their own possible health peril, when our average age is not exactly, really, really young.” He also said “asking members of the public to come out and vote” runs contrary to the governor’s stay-at-home executive order.

City managers of the three local municipalities have concurred delaying the municipal election, Corley said. Holding those elections concurrently with the primary election poses no additional financial costs to those cities, he said.

The county elections office is mandated to hold the April 14 election, until it hears otherwise from the governor’s office, Corley said.

Here is a closer look at each election:

Dade City
Six candidates are running for three open seats on the Dade City Commission — for Groups 3, 4 and 5.

In Group 3, two-term incumbent Jim Shive is being challenged by Matthew Wilson. Shive is a retired government employee. Wilson is a data entry clerk for the United Parcel Service.

Groups 4 and 5 seats will see fresh faces, as Nicole Deese Newlon and Eunice Penix are not seeking re-election. Newlon served one four-year term after she won in 2016, while Penix has held her seat since 1993.

Vying for Newlon’s Group 4 seat are Ann Cosentino and Knute Nathe.

Cosentino owns a communications/branding consulting firm. Nathe is an attorney with McCLain Alfonso P.A.

Christopher King and Normita Woodard are facing off for Penix’s Group 5 seat. King is the founder of The Gentleman’s Course Inc., a local youth mentorship charity. Woodard is a secretary at Lacoochee Elementary School.

The Dade City municipal election will take place at First Baptist Church Dade City, 37511 Church Ave., in Dade City. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Zephyrhills
In this election cycle, the City of Zephyrhills will have a mayoral race, as incumbent Gene Whitfield faces off against Justin Docherty.

Whitfield has held the mayor chair since 2014 when Danny Burgess resigned to run as the area’s state representative in Tallahassee.

The Zephyrhills mayor serves mainly an ambassador’s role, being a presence at many public events, ribbon cuttings and so on. As far as citywide matters, the mayor doesn’t run council meetings, cannot make motions and cannot vote on matters before the council, but does have the ability to veto city ordinances.

On the Zephyrhills City Council, Seat 2 incumbent Alan Knight is running unopposed.

Knight is a retired educator who’s worked mainly in Pasco County Schools as a teacher, coach and administrator. He was first elected to the seat in 2014.

The Zephyrhills municipal general election will be at the Alice Hall Community Center, 38116 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

San Antonio
Five candidates are vying to fill three open seats on the San Antonio City Commission.

Running are incumbents Elayne Bassinger and Sarah Schrader, along with Joseph Couture, John Vogel and Dacia Wadsworth Mitchell.

Unlike the head-to-head matchups of other municipalities, the top three overall vote-getters earn commission seats. San Antonio commissioners serve two-year terms.

For more voting information, contact the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections office at (800) 851-8754 or (352) 521-4302, or visit PascoVotes.gov.

Updated April 09, 2020

Precautions planned at polling places

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As Pasco County voters head to the polls on March 17 for Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary, precautions are being taken to guard against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.

“We have been monitoring this situation and have been communicating with the Florida Department of State, as well as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on election day polling place preparation,” Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said, via email.

“We have ordered hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes for each polling place (our poll workers are also encouraged to bring their own as well).

“In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended precautions, those in the polling place will be asked to practice good hygiene (hand washing/covering coughs and sneezes) and if not feeling well, remain home,” Corley adds.

“Also, disinfectant wipes can be used to wipe down surfaces (Electronic Poll Books, privacy booths, secrecy sleeves, doorknobs, etc.),” the supervisor of elections said.

He also noted that his office promoted vote by mail as an option.

Early voting is ongoing in Pasco and Hillsborough counties, and will end on March 14 in Pasco County and March 15 in Hillsborough County.

Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by your county Supervisor of Elections Office by the time polls close on March 17.

Florida is a closed primary state, which means the only candidates on a voter’s ballot will be those of the same party as the voter’s registration. In other words, only registered Republicans and Democrats will be able to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary.

After the Presidential Preference Primary, designated political party delegates from Florida formally nominate the preferred presidential candidate at the respective party’s national convention, according to the Florida Secretary of State’s website.

For additional information in Pasco County, visit PascoVotes.gov, or call (800) 851-8754.

For additional information in Hillsborough County, visit VoteHillsborough.org, or call (813) 744-5900.

Published March 11, 2020