Election Day Live Blog

August 24, 2010

Welcome to our LIVE Election Day blog. We’ll update this story frequently with the latest up-to-the-minute information about today’s elections with an emphasis on the North Escambia area.

Join NorthEscambia.com tonight for LIVE election results after the polls close.

9:00 p.m. Currently posting live election results. Look for the story on the front page. 55 of 90 Escambia precincts are reporting.

7:20 p.m. Projects show Kendrick Meek winning the Democratic Senate primary. He will face Republican Marcio Rubo and Independent Charlie Crist in November.

6:59 p.m.Polls closed at 7:00 in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The counting begins, and results will be available later tonight. We will have the latest updates on vote totals, winners and losers later tonight and Wednesday morning.

6:45 p.m. Less than 200 people had voted in the Walnut Hill precinct just before 7:00. On an election day, the parking lot is usually full, but this evening it was empty. It was the same story at Bratt, Byrneville and Century, with just a few voters trickling in during the final minutes of voting.

(6 p.m.) One more hour for the polls to be open. Complete results later tonight and tomorrow morning on NorthEscambia.com

(5:30 p.m.) Some North Escambia precincts are reporting more traffic, but no real lines, as the voting pace picks up.

(4:45 p.m.) The political signs outnumber the voters late this afternoon at most precincts in North Escambia. Voter turnout is still reported to be light at the precincts we checked. It’s almost time for that “after work rush” at the polls. Don’t forget complete coverage of all the important races tonight and tomorrow morning on NorthEscambia.com

(3:35 p.m.) Traffic on the roads around North Escambia increases in the afternoon as moms, dads and others pick children up from school. Many of those people are stopping by to vote on their way home, increasing voter turnout. The flow of voters as North Escambia precincts should only increase as the hour gets later as people get off work and head back to their homes here in North Escambia.

(3:15 p.m.) Turnout is reported to be light across the county, even with a highly contested Republican gubernatorial race and a nasty primary between U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and real estate mogul Jeff Greene for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination. Polls close at 7 p.m., so there is still plenty of time to vote.

(2:15 p.m.) Road construction in Walnut Hill caused a few headaches for voters today. Crews are continuing a resurfacing project on Highway 97 near the Walnut Hill Community Center (Ruritan Club) voting precinct.

(1:25 p.m.) A quick lunch…the number of voters increased during the lunch hour at many precincts in District 5. That’s a usual occurrence on election day as people vote during their lunch break or when they are back with their spouse around lunch

(12:09 p.m.) The lunch rush is on at area polling places. With most of our North Escambia polling places being rural, we don’t experience the rush to the polling place at lunch to vote that many of the polling places in the cities experience. But it does usually get busier at lunch.

More live updates all day. Tell us about your voting experience. Use the comment form below, or email news@northescambia.com.

(10:50 a.m.) Our phone is still ringing with the automated “robo calls” asking us to vote for candidates. So tired of seeing “Private Number” on the caller id when it’s a political candidate recording on the other end. Every call is a strike against the candidate in our book.

(10:05 a.m.) Polls opened without incident across the state on Tuesday and state election officials saw no negative omens beyond inclement weather as voters began casting ballots for party favorites and a slew of local non-party elections. More than 361,000 voters cast ballots early across the state. Another 638,581 absentee ballots had been collected as of Monday statewide.

(9:01 a.m.) Don’t forget that if you voted at the fire department in Cantonment or Molino in past years, you are headed to a different polling place today. Both precincts moved a couple of years ago. The Molino precinct  moved from the Molino Volunteer Fire Department to the Barrineau Park Community Center. The folks that did vote at the Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department now vote at the Quintette Community Center on Quintette Lane.

(8:40 a.m.) The weather forecast looks for voting today in the North Escambia area. Hot and sunny, with a high around 96 and no mention of rain. Perfect voting weather.

(8:02 a.m.) Turnout during the first hour of voting  was steady across North Escambia, with no real delays reported. Elections officials across Florida are predicting a 30 percent or less turnout.

(7:03 a.m.) The polls are now open in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. They will be open until 7:00 tonight.

Comments

One Response to “Election Day Live Blog”

  1. 18yroldaspiringpoliticalleader on August 24th, 2010 8:13 pm

    Where are all the people who are always griping about the government? The reason we keep having to choose between the “lesser of two evils” every time we go vote, is because people won’t go vote in the primary. I’d say the primary is more important than the general election when it comes to the resulting quality of government leaders. GO VOTE! And if you’re too lazy to go do your civic duty, then just smile and point your finger at yourself when you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place come November.

    I voted! :)