Points to Ponder

As we move into this new year, many individuals will be throwing their hats into the political arena as their campaigns gear up for the 2006 election season. Over the past decade, one major newspaper editor in our area has advocated that all county commission candidates should be classified as non-partisan, like the school board members. He has opined on the need to have the Florida Legislature change the rules to make these non-partisan elections take place at the county commission level. After researching Hernando County election documents from 1996 to 2004, this editor's point of view may have some validity to it.

The average percentage of turnout in Primary Elections from 1996 to 2004 in Hernando County averaged out to be 22.6%. Although the two prominent political parties, Republican and Democrat, are represented by the largest number of registered voters, the non-party registration roll is creeping up substantially every year in this county. Maybe that's why most candidates run towards the middle of the road immediately after the Primary Election to attract these non-committed votes for the General Election.

Just take a look at the two major parties in Hernando County. The membership in the executive committees of the Republicans and Democrats, based the total number of full time and alternate precinct seats available in Hernando County is remarkably low. The Republican Executive Committee has a vacancy rate of 87%, with the Democratic Executive Committee vacancy rate of 91%. Please keep in mind this is an average for all the available full time, and alternate, precinct seats for each executive committee based on population in this county. Taking into consideration the low average turnout of 22.6% in the Primary Elections (since 1996) it appears that a handful of people in this county choose the slate of candidates for the masses on the General election ballot.

Based on the statistical data, it might be possible that the editor of this newspaper has a point about non-partisan elections in Hernando County. As the 2006 election year gears up, it appears that the two major parties have their work cut out for them to overcome the odds of this obvious voter apathy in this county. Generating interest by filling the majority of these vacant precinct committee seats for the REC and DEC will be the 1st step in rebuilding the Primary Election process in Hernando County.

**Statistical Data acquired from the Hernando County Supervisor of Election's office.