Despite smooth election, Broward warned over November vote

By Buddy Nevins
South Florida Sun Sentinel Posted September 1 2004

Broward County passed the last test of its voting system before November's presidential balloting with little trouble Tuesday, but the light turnout prompted observers of the primary to say the smooth election proved little.

Despite the success Tuesday, activists such as NAACP Branch President William McCormick said there would be more scrutiny of Broward voting anchored by the much-debated touch screen machines in the Nov. 2 general election.

McCormick warned that a larger turnout predicted to be more than 70 percent in the presidential election compared with less than 20 percent Tuesday could complicate voting.

"When you have a massive flow of people participating, of course you have more potential for a major problem," McCormick said.

In perhaps the highest-profile race in Broward where an excess of $600,000 was spent, County Commissioner Lori Parrish crushed assistant hotel manager J.R. Markham, the son of the late Property Appraiser Bill Markham, and a third candidate, appraiser Steven Johnson. Parrish captured the Democratic nomination for property appraiser, which in the county is usually as good as winning the seat.

School Board member Lois Wexler captured Parrish's old County Commission District 5 seat. Broward Circuit Judge Cheryl Aleman survived a challenge. Democratic leader Mitch Ceasar and others had labeled Aleman a right wing appointee of Gov. Jeb Bush.

Republican leader Kevin Tynan was routed by Democratic activist Iris Simple in his run for a Pembroke Pines commission seat. Another Bush appointee won easily: Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes. Suspended Elections Supervisor Miriam Oliphant trailed a field of three.