The Grove available for early voting
Pasco County has added a new early voting location for the upcoming Aug. 26 primary and the regular Nov. 4 general election, finding room at The Grove at Wesley Chapel.
The location, on the west side of Interstate 75 and north of State Road 54, will join other locations that include the Land O’ Lakes Library, New River Library and East Pasco Government Center in Dade City.
“The need for an additional location reflects the growth and economic upswing of that area in recent years,” said Pasco elections supervisor Brian Corley, in a release. “We are grateful to Genesis Real Estate for providing this location to serve Wesley Chapel voters at no cost to the taxpayers of Pasco County.”
Expansion of early voting sites was made possible by the passing of H.B. 7013 last year, Corley said.
Raulerson, Cruz have opposite-feeling campaign months
State Rep. Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City, didn’t raise any money for his unopposed re-election campaign in March, but he did spend a lot of it.
Raulerson paid out more than $12,500 in March — well above his monthly average of $900 — with more than half of it going to Strategic Image Management in Jensen Beach for what was described as “design, print, mail pre-session survey.”
He spent another $2,300 on a telephone town hall, according to state election records, and $3,125 with Capitol Consulting out of Odessa.
Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, kept pace with her fundraising despite drawing an opponent, raising $6,750 in March. She now has accumulated $76,300, with $43,000 of it in the bank.
Poll workers needed for August, November elections
Energetic? Service-oriented? Then the Pasco County supervisor of elections may be looking for you.
Poll workers are needed for both the primary election Aug. 26 and the general election Nov. 4. Positions are paid, but potential candidates will need to be able to stand, bend, stoop, lift approximately 30 pounds, and have normal vision and manual and physical dexterity.
Applicants also need to write and read English, have an email address, and be able to work the entire day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
All positions receive mandatory paid training the month preceding both the primary and general elections.
For information, call (800) 851-8754, or visit PascoVotes.com.
Danish gains fundraising ground on Harrison
Former state Rep. Shawn Harrison is doing what he can to regain a seat in Tallahassee, but it appears the man holding that seat right now — state Rep. Mark Danish, D-Tampa — is starting to gain some ground.
Harrison raised $5,950 in March, down slightly from his $6,500 average, according to state election records. Danish, however, pulled in $5,750 of his own, topping his $4,700 average.
Yet, Harrison still leads the fundraising battle with just under $78,000 compared to Danish’s $66,750. But when it comes to who has the most money available right now, that would be Danish with $52,000 in the bank, compared to Harrison’s $37,500.
Mobile hours for Ross
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, will host mobile office hours May 13 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Lutz Library, 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz.
Other dates in Lutz include June 10, July 8, Aug. 12, Sept. 9, Oct. 14 and Dec. 9.
For more information, call (863) 644-8215, or (813) 752-4790.
Wilson taking Wells challenge seriously
Pasco County Commissioner Henry Wilson is taking advantage of the fact that he announced his re-election plans early, especially now that his challenger is a candidate with strong name recognition in Mike Wells Jr.
Wilson raised $1,910 in March, bringing his total campaign war chest to a little over $19,000. Wells, who announced his candidate earlier this month, would not have any fundraising to report.
Wilson has spent just $350, leaving him a lot of room to mount a financial defense of his seat. But he will have only until the August primary to do it, since both he and Wells are Republicans.
Wells is the son of former county commissioner and current Pasco County property appraiser Mike Wells Sr.
Burgess dominates House fundraising
Former Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess is showing he can raise money for bigger campaigns as he continues to pound his opponents when it comes to fundraising.
Burgess, a Republican who wants to replace House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, in Tallahassee, raised $5,600 in March to bring his total to nearly $40,750. His primary challenger, Minnie Diaz, pulled in $365 in donations during the same time, bringing her campaign a total of $2,860, and only a few hundred dollars in the bank.
Burgess received checks from the likes of Oakley Transport executive vice president Ronald Oakley and Wesley Chapel Dentistry on State Road 54. However, most of the money Burgess raised in March — some $3,000 worth — came from political action committees, supported by companies and organizations like AT&T and United States Sugar Corp.
Beverly Ledbetter, the only Democrat in the race so far, raised $1,850 in March, bringing her total to just under $6,000. Barring anyone else entering the race, she’ll face the winner of the August primary between Burgess and Diaz in November.
