Supervisor's office gears up for busy election year

With 2010 elections a few months away, Jackson County voters will soon start hearing from Supervisor of Elections Sylvia Stephens.
Tomorrow, she will start mailing out new voter cards to those whose polling places have changed, or whose precinct numbers have changed.
This year, that mailing is going to be a big one.
The county recently consolidated a number of precincts. Instead of 25, there are now 14.
This was done as a money-saving effort. It cuts down on the number of poll workers needed, the costs of making precincts ADA compliant, and by reducing the need for equipment purchases.
In a press release concerning several election issues, Stephens estimated the cost savings at $60,000 in equipment, $3,200 in annual maintenance costs, and at least $8,800 in poll worker salaries per election.
This year, there are five races in play.
County Commission Districts 2 (incumbent Ed Crutchfield) and 4 (incumbent Jeremy Branch) are on the ballot, along with Jackson County School Board districts 1 (incumbent Terry Nichols), 4 (Chris Johnson) and 5 (incumbent Charlotte Gardner).
In addition, voters will elect a U.S. senator, the District 2 U.S. House member, governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, chief financial officer, agriculture commissioner, District 6 Florida senator, and House members in districts 5 and 7. Voters will also elect judges in the 14th Judicial Circuit groups 1, 2, 5 and 8, and Soil and Water Conservation District groups 2 and 4.
The primary election is Aug.t 24, and the general election is Nov. 2.
There are also several key dates ahead of those polling days.
Early voting dates are Aug. 9 to 21 for the primary, and Oct. 18 to 30 for the general election, for those who don’t want to go to the polls on official election days. Until this year, early voting had to be done at election headquarters, but Stephens has added two more early voting locations.
Early voters can now go to Graceville or Sneads city halls. That added convenience could increase the number of early voters, from the 52 percent average of recent years.
But ahead of that, those who aren’t already registered have some important dates to keep in mind.
Voter registration books close July 26 for the primary and Oct. 4 for the general election.
Candidates also have some important calendar days coming. Their qualifying dates are coming up in a few weeks. Those seeking county, state, multi-county, district and political party executive committee positions must qualify between noon June 14 and noon, June 18.
For those seeking federal and judicial offices, qualifying dates are from noon, April 26 until noon, April 30.
Candidate who want to qualify for county, state, district and multi-county offices by petition rather than by paying a qualifying fee must file their petitions by noon on May 17. For those seeking federal and judicial offices, the petition deadline is noon on March 29.
Voters are reminded that they must present a current and valid picture and signature identification when they arrive at the polling place, Otherwise, they’ll have to cast a provisional ballot, and their ID will have to be confirmed before their vote will count.
For more information, call the elections office at 482-9652 visit the Web site at www.jacksoncountysoe.org, or drop by the office at 2851 Jefferson St. in Marianna.

The current precincts and locations are:

1 - Malone City Hall
2 - Campbellton Community Center
3 - Citizen’s Lodge
4 - Alford Community Center
5 - Cypress Park
6 - County Commission Administration Building
7 - Eastside Baptist Church
8 - Shady Grove Methodist Church
9 - Grand Ridge Community Center
10 - Welcome Assembly of God Church
11 - Sneads City Hall
12 - Cottondale Community Center
13 - Greenwood Town Hall
14 - Graceville Civic Center