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Five votes cast for no one
By MOLLY MOORHEAD ZEPHYRHILLS -- In an election with only one race and two candidates, how could five ballots come back as "under votes?" The answer, said Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Kurt Browning, is that some people chose to cast a blank ballot. Tuesday's municipal election matched incumbent Mike Bussell against challenger Celia Graham in the race for Seat 5 on the City Council. Only 490 people cast votes, a little more than 7 percent of the city's registered voters, and Graham coasted into office with 62 percent. But five ballots were considered so-called under votes, in which neither candidate was selected. Browning said the touch screen voting machines, used for just the fourth time Tuesday, still allow voters to cast blank ballots. He said as voters proceed through the screen prompts, they can opt to make no choice in a particular race. But when they press the red "Vote" button, the machine warns them that they're about to cast a blank ballot. "Any under votes on the touch screen, they are intentional under votes," Browning said. There are several reasons voters make that choice -- or nonchoice -- at the voting booth. Some people think they won't be able to vote again if they fail to vote in any election, Browning said. But they're wrong in thinking that. "They think that every time there's an election, you have to vote," Browning said. "Of course, we like those people. We want people to vote." In the race for seats on the New Port Richey City Council, voters were directed to select three of five candidates. But some voters probably selected only one candidate and hit the "Vote" button, Browning said. Their vote was counted but also yielded two under votes. The New Port Richey race returned 220 under votes. In the three municipal elections held in Port Richey, New Port Richey and Zephyrhills, only two absentee ballots were rejected and not counted. One didn't have the voter's signature, and the other didn't have the address of the witness, Browning said. One problem the touch screen system has eliminated is "over voting," which caused major headaches in the 2000 presidential election. Browning said the computers won't accept over votes, in which too many candidates are selected for one race. It's still possible to over vote on a paper absentee ballot. Of the 1,967 votes cast Tuesday in Pasco, none were over votes. Graham was sworn in Wednesday along with Cathi Compton and Clyde Bracknell, who ran unopposed. Shortly after taking her seat on the far right of the stage inside council chambers, Graham got to take her first action as a council member. She nominated Compton as vice president, and Compton was approved unanimously. Lance Smith is the new council president, replacing Bracknell. The next council meeting is set for 6 p.m. Monday. -- Molly Moorhead covers news about Zephyrhills and crime in east Pasco. She can be reached at (352) 521-5757 or toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6108, then 29. Her e-mail address is moorhead@sptimes.com
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