Early Voting Begins in Florida Today

Early voting has begun today in my state of Florida, yet another positive sign that this overly drawn out, tedious, and extraordinarily ugly campaign season is finally about to draw to a close.  Yippee!  Still, I personally don't care to vote early...I like the tradition of going down to my assigned precinct on Election Day and savoring the experience on the same day that the results are later revealed.  Besides, the early voting site I'm closest to also happens to be my branch of the Alachua County Library System...and while early voting is going on it's well-nigh impossible to find a parking space, a nuisance I'm willing to endure, however, if it helps others to get out to the polls...

The sample ballot I received recently in the mail has a number of races to be decided, as well as votes on the retention of three State Supreme Court justices, some state constitutional amendments, and a couple of Alachua County questions about special projects and taxes.  But of course, the main item of interest is the presidential election, followed by the Florida U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Republican Marco Rubio, who is running for reelection against Democrat Patrick Murphy.  My U.S. House race has Republican teabagger incumbent Ted Yoho running against Democrat Ken McGurn in a redrawn district that Yoho is still expected to win.  In my State Senate district (also redrawn), Republican Keith Perry, currently a state representative in an adjacent district, is running against Democrat Rod Smith, a former state attorney and legislator who is trying to make a political comeback with this race.  The television ads between these two have turned horribly negative...the irony is that I could see this two otherwise decent, reasonable public servants working together in Tallahassee were they serving in different districts.  As for my Florida House district my incumbent (Clovis Watson) is running unopposed, so that race won't appear on my ballot.  But just a few blocks over is the 21st District and it features Democrat Merihelen Wheeler going against Republican Chuck Clemons.  Our county sheriff Sadie Darnell is also running again for reelection, favored to win easily.  And a couple of my county commissioners are essentially running unopposed, with only write-in provisions offered as alternatives to them...

Maybe I'll discuss some of these races a little more before election day, as well as those constitutional amendments and county proposals.  I think I'll lay off the presidential election, though: if you haven't yet figured out who the best candidate for that office is by this time, I seriously doubt that reading what I have to say is going to influence you...