No long lines and quiet polling places are what most South Florida voters can expect so far during the primary election on Tuesday.
For most Democratic voters, the highlight of this election is getting to choose who will run against Republican Gov. Rick Scott in November: Charlie Crist or Nan Rich. But there are local races on the ballot, and some voters are finding it’s wise to go into the voting booth with a plan.
Outside a polling place at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Pompano Beach, Mike DeStefano, 62, holds up a little cheat sheet. He says he went online and did a little homework on each of the candidates beforehand.
“Years ago, I didn’t vote for a while, to be honest. And the reason was that I would get called for jury duty all the time," DeStefano says. "But I like to complain a little. So if I want to complain, I’d better vote.”
To help make sense of all the circuit court judge, county judge and other races on the ballot, Barbara Knapp and her husband turn to a friend who’s a bit of a political junkie.
“She’s retired and she enjoys it and she’s very active," Knapp says. "So we call her and she tells us her opinions and we usually go with that.”
