Broward municipal elections generally off to a good start

BY MARISSA SILVERA AND BETH REINHARD

msilvera@herald.com

 

Most Broward polls opened on time Tuesday in 15 cities where municipal elections got off to a smooth start. But there were a few glitches at some precincts.

At 7:30 a.m., Deputy Supervisor of Elections Gisela Salas said all polls were up and running.

''Everyone we called was open for business,'' Salas said. ``We've been emphasizing how important it is for polls to open on time.''

But in Davie, there were a few minor problems.

Precinct 18T at the Rick Case Honda off Weston Road in Davie opened a few minutes late due to complications with the voting machines, according to several voters.

But the bigger problem was how the screens were set up, according to voters.

Art Waganheim, former president of the Southwest Broward Republican Organization, said that when he went to vote, a poll worker hadn't set up the screen properly. Waganheim said he would have been allowed to vote in the Democratic presidential primary, even though he is a registered Republican.

A poll worker cleared the screen, but then the Cooper City commission election was displayed. After the screen was cleared again, the proper ballot was displayed, Waganheim said.

''There is real disorganization going on here with poorly trained poll workers,'' he said. ``They are supposed to set the screens up. They are supposed to present us with the right ballots to vote on. I found it very concerning that people could be voting in the wrong elections very concerning.''

Waganheim reported the problem to a Broward Sheriff's Office deputy who in turn talked with the precinct clerk, and the problem appeared to be resolved.

The election began one day after a state agency hit suspended elections supervisor Miriam Oliphant with 55 counts of violating elections laws, including opening 24 precincts late for the September 2002 primary. That election was the first countywide test of the new touchscreen voting machines.

Tuesday posed another test, this time for Oliphant's replacement, Brenda Snipes. Gov. Jeb Bush appointed her to step in when he suspended Oliphant in November for mismanagement.

''A lot of planning went into this. . .after all, we've been here less than three months,'' Salas said. ``We're getting a lot of help from the county and everybody worked together.''

One potential glitch was the last-minute reassignment of 90 precincts to new polling sites. About 101,000 voters learned of the relocations just last week.

But most voters did not seem to be affected by the reassignment early Tuesday morning.

At the Hollywood Beach Culture and Community Center about a dozen people stood in line waiting to vote for the mayor and city commission before 7 a.m.

A poll worker checked voter registration cards like a bouncer checks ID's at a nightclub.

Evelyn Kraut, 82, a Hollywood Beach resident, said the voting was much easier than last time in 2000.

``It was simple, a kindergartener could have done it. In 2000, voting was very confusing. I am so happy [paper ballots] were eliminated in this election.''

But at least one voter in the Pembroke Pines election said he had a problem viewing the electronic ballots, and feared he might accidentally pick the wrong candidate.

''The names are too close together,'' said Martin Kennen, 80. ``The people living in Century Village are not that young. Their eyes are not that good and not that alert. What happened the last time is going to happen again and again because these machines are not perfect.''