Sample Ballots; What You Need To Know To Vote Today
August 26, 2008
Here’s what you need to know to vote in today’s Primary Election in Escambia County:
- Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Molino, Cantonment and Walnut Hill precincts moved, click here for more information.
- You must present photo and signature identification. Acceptable forms of identification are: Florida Driver’s License, Florida ID card issued by the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles, U.S. Passport, Debit/Credit Card, Military ID, Student ID, Retirement Center ID, Neighborhood Association ID, and Public Assistance ID. If you fail to present proper identification at the polls, you must vote a provisional ballot.
- You are not required to present your voter identification card in order to vote. The card does have helpful information on it, including your precinct number and location.
- To vote on a paper ballot, completely darken the oval to the left of the your choice.
- There is at least one touchscreen machine at each voting location. While primarily intended for persons will disabilities, any voter may choose to vote on the touchscreen. It has an audio ballot feature.
- You may vote if you are still in line at 7:00 p.m.
- You have the right to ask for assistance in voting.
- You can receive up to two replacement ballots if you make a mistake.
- If you registration or identity is questions, you have the right to cast a provisional ballot.
- You have the right to written instructions on how to vote, and, upon request, oral instructions by elections officers or any other person.
For a sample Democratic District 5 ballot, click here.
For a sample Republican District 5 ballot, click here.
For a sample nonpartisan District 5 ballot, click here.
Source: Escambia County Voter Guide. Click here to read the entire guide.
Need To Know More About District 5 Candidates Before You Vote?
August 26, 2008
Every District 5 candidate responded to a questionnaire that NorthEscambia.com emailed them last week, except for one school board candidate. You can learn more about each District 5 candiate by clicking on their names below.
School board candidate Robert Tegenkamp did not respond to the questions we emailed to the email address he listed with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections.
District 5 Commission, Republicans:
District 5 Commission, Democrats:
District 5 School Board:
District 5 ECUA:
Ray’s Chapel Member Deploys To Iraq
August 26, 2008
A member of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia left Sunday for training before being deployed to Kuwait or Iraq.
US Air Force Sgt. John Weaver departed Sunday for specialized training at Camp Bullis, Texas. He will be at Camp Bullis for six weeks before being deployed overseas for at least six months.
Sgt. Weaver is originally from Jay and currently lives in Pensacola with his wife Lisa and three girls, Krista 12, Randi, 10, and Starla, 7. He is stationed at Hurlbert Field.
He and his family are very active and faithful members of Ray’s Chapel, they make the drive several times a week to the church.
The church held a social in his honor to have extra fellowship with him before deployment. Church members made special items for John’s troop of nine members, such as inspirational bracelets and note pads. The church will continue in their support of Sgt. Weaver and his family with prayers and care boxes in the months to come.
Pictured top: Starla, Lisa, John, Randi and Krista Weaver. Pictured middle: Sgt. Weaver presents the flag during a service at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church. Pictured below: A church social at Ray’s Chapel in honor of Sgt. Weaver. Submitted photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com.
Ramona Preston contributed to this article.
Precinct Locations Changes In Molino, Walnut Hill And Cantonment
August 26, 2008
The voting precincts in Molino and Quintette will be in a different location today, and Walnut Hill voters will vote in a local race for the first time in the new location for their precinct.
Voters in Molino will no longer be voting at the Molino Volunteer Fire Department.
Molino’s Precinct 19 has been moved from the fire department to the Barrineau Park Community Center (pictured left) at 6055 Barrineau Park School Road. The new polling location is about four miles from the fire department on Molino Road.
The change was made to better accommodate the large number of voters in the precinct, according the the office of David Stafford, Escambia elections supervisor. There are 3,372 voters in the precinct.
Precinct 36 will move from the Cantonment Fire Department to the Quintette Community Center. The move was made to better accomodate the growing number of voters in the district. There are 2,529 registered voters in the district, according to the Escambia Supervisor of Elections office.
Precinct 11, the Walnut Hill precinct, will once again vote at the Walnut Hill Community Center (pictured above) for the second time today. The precinct was moved from Ernest Ward Middle School early this year for the Presidential Primary. The Walnut Hill precinct has 1,284 registered voters.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.
Each voter in the changed precincts was mailed a letter explaining the change and providing a map of the new location. Each voter in the three precincts also received a new voter registration card with the updated polling location.
Voters with questions or who would like additional information should contact the Elections Office at 850-595-3900 or soe@EscambiaVotes.com, or visit www.EscambiaVotes.com
Pleasant Hill Baptist Celebrates 152 Years
August 26, 2008
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Bluff Springs observed its 152nd anniversary on Sunday.
The turnout for the anniversary event was small due to the threatening weekend weather from Tropical Storm Fay. The scheduled guest preacher did not attend due to the weather forecast, but lay leader Robbie McCann filled in.
The church was founded in 1856 by Rev. James Lazrus Bryars. Early family members were Crarys, Pritchetts, Sturdivants, Bratchers, and Fillingims. Rev. Bryars pastored the church for more than fifty years, until his death in 1907.
The church is no stranger to weather problems. In 2005, a large tree crashed into the church sanctuary in Hurricane Dennis.
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church is located at 4600 North Century Boulevard.
Larry Walker contributed to this article.
Flash Flood Watch Canceled
August 25, 2008
The remains of Tropical Depression Fay are finally moving away from the area. The National Weather Service has canceled a flash flood watch that was in effect for today.
There is still a 50 percent chance of rain for Primary Election Day Tuesday. Tonight’s rain chance drops to 20 percent, and the chance of rain is 40 percent by Wednesday. By the weekend, expect sunny skies and just a slight chance of rain.
Pictured above: The latest National Weather Service radar.
School As Usual On Monday
August 25, 2008
There will be school on Monday in Escambia County.
The Escambia County School District decided Sunday morning that all public schools in the county will be open on Monday. Byrneville Elementary, the only charter school in the area, will also be open on Monday.
School District officials monitored the rain situation and forecast for chances of flooding before making a final determination for school as usual Monday.
District 5 Commissioners Respond To NorthEscambia.com Questions
August 25, 2008
NorthEscambia.com sent a brief questionnaire to all six District 5 candidates for the Escambia County Commission. We played a little unfair just to see if they would respond…we sent one email and only one email to the email addresses that we had for each. We sent that email late Thursday afternoon and gave them until noon Saturday to respond, knowing that each would be busy preparing for Tuesday’s primary election, and that each might be dealing with the approaching tropical storm.
Why did we do it that way? We are of the opinion that if you email your commissioner, it must be important, and you want an answer soon, no matter how busy they might be.
We were pleased that all six took the time to respond in detail to our questions. Be an informed voter on Tuesday. Take the time to read their responses by clicking their names below. These are responses that you will read only on NorthEscambia.com.
Republicans:
Democrats:
Ethics Case Heard Against Former Century Mayor
August 25, 2008
The state Commission On Ethics held a two day hearing last week in the case of a former Century mayor accused of abusing that office.
An administrative hearing was held Thursday and Friday into allegations against Evelyn Hammond, a one-term mayor of Century.
Last year, the Ethics Commission found probable cause to believe that Hammond, during her term as mayor of the Town of Century, misused her office by allowing her son to continue to receive utility services when his account was delinquent or by directing that late fees be dropped from his account.
The Commission also found probable cause to believe that she misused her position to retaliate against Century Little League for her son’s special benefit. Charges that she misused her office to give a raise to her son and charges that she promoted, advanced, or advocated the promotion or advancement of her relatives were dismissed.
Kerrie J. Stillman, spokesperson for the Commission on Ethics, told NorthEscambia that might be several weeks before the judge in the case issues a ruling in the matter.
The ethics complaint alleged that Hammond’s son, Eddie Hammond, did not pay his utility bills for four years while working as a supervisor for the town’s utilities department. The complaint charged that when the bills were found, Evelyn Hammond waived $200 in late charges and fines and paid the remaining $1,700.
The ethic’s complaint also charges that Hammond took over concessions at the Little League Park concession stand and hired someone from Alabama to run it. The concessions stand had previous raised funds for the Little League ball teams.
A complaint had also been filed that Hammond used her position has mayor to obtain a raise for her son, but the Ethics Commission did not find probable cause in that case.
The ethics complaints were filed by Ann Brooks, Nolan Wilson and Annie Savage.
Hammond was defeated 341 votes to 241 votes in her bid for reelection by now Mayor Freddie McCall. The race received a lot of media attention after Hammond alleged that McCall and new council member Nadine McCaw attempted to buy votes with money and watermelons, allegations that they both denied.
Pictured above: Evelyn Hammond, former Century Mayor, at the ribbon cutting of the Camp Fire USA Childcare facility in Century in January 2007. File photo.
Man Hurt In Molino ATV Accident
August 25, 2008
A 40 year old man was hurt in an ATV accident Sunday evening in Molino and transported to a Pensacola hospital by LifeFlight.
The Molino Volunteer Fire Department responded just before 6:30 p.m.. to a mobile home park located down a dirt lane in the 6000 block of Highway 95A between Nancy Lane and Marge Lane. That is near the Highland Baptist Church. He was transported by LifeFlight from the church parking lot about 6:55.
The man was reportedly injured when he flipped over the ATV he was riding. The accident is under investigation.