Election Season's Start Not Too Far Off

Just when you think you might have recovered from the holiday season, there is another season just around the turn of a calendar page that can be far more stressful, frightening and last longer.

Election season hits quickly with the state’s presidential primary voting on Jan. 31. But, if you’re not registered as a Republican by Jan. 3, you’re out of luck.

The early primary is a Republicans-only show. Florida is a state with primary elections that restrict voting to members of the candidates’ party. No Democrats voting in the Republican primary or the other way around.

Since there are no Democratic or any other major party candidates, only Republicans can vote, said Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley. You have to be registered in the Grand Old Party by Jan. 3, or you can switch to the GOP by then to vote.

After that, things are fairly quiet for voters, but not for politicians.

Lawmakers will be busy carving new districts for the state legislature and Congress. The county commission and school board already have divided the county into new local districts.

New data from the U.S. Census retool representative districts every 10 years as new population numbers emerge.

Meanwhile, local candidates will be busy getting signatures on petitions to qualify for election. Candidates can qualify to run by gaining enough signatures or opening their checkbooks.

Most go the signature route, Corley said.

The local candidates have until June 8 to qualify. So far, 22 are actively qualified for 11 local seats on the block in 2012.

That’s about the number you’d expect roughly six months from the qualifying deadline, Corley said. He is one of those 22, running unopposed for a second term.

The new districts could cause some turmoil in the schedule if they are taken to court. It’s possible even a lawsuit in a distant Florida county could have a ripple effect on districts in Pasco, Corley said.

The new districts also mean voters could be casting ballots for different members of the legislature or Congress and may be doing that in new precincts.

Each of the county’s voters will get a new election card before Aug. 8 showing any changes in districts, precincts or polling place.

After the confetti settles from the January primary, voters in any of Pasco’s cities get a chance to vote April 10 if there are any issues or candidates on municipal ballots.

And then it’s on the way to the big show with primary elections Aug. 14 and the whole thing on Nov. 6, ending the election season just in time for the next holiday season.

To find out more about voting in Pasco County, visit the Supervisor of Election's Office's website.