Can someone explain to me if this is coincidental, or if this is intentional? (Brandon: city hall, schools)

[Atari2600]

This is the early voting location map for Hillsborough County. I won't talk specifics about politics, but I notice that all of these locations are located in predominantly poor areas. They seem to be focused up and down 301, or in areas where there are more poor people.



Plant City also has poor people, but it's a different kind of poor people. You also have Lithia, which has a very high concentration of people as well... but they are definitely not poor. Can someone tell me why these two areas, which share common traits, are almost completely devoid of any early-voting locations?

[RidgeCrossing]

Sure thing bud...

It's the "politics of RACE" which is shameful

[RidgeCrossing]

In other words, you're not imagining anything or the glaring disparities

[Atari2600]

Originally Posted by RidgeCrossing

In other words, you're not imagining anything or the glaring disparities

Thanks, it's kind of what I was expecting. I know who runs this county... and it's obvious to me that even though where I live pays a substantial amount of the property taxes for the county, we're obviously not wanted.

[MortonR]

Methinks you protest too much. The Bloomingdale library is an early voting location and within a 10 minute (or so, depending on time of day) drive of Fishhawk. Maybe the mobility of the populace in the surrounding areas has some factor in the choice of locations?

I would add that most, if not all (I haven't looked at the list) are County owned facilities, which are not evenly distributed throughout the County and whose locations are not prefaced on demographics.

I just voted at the location inside County Center downtown. Nothing poor about the downtown area.

This is a big nothingburger. Slow day at work?

RM

[huitrecouture]

OK why not go down to the county Supervisor of Elections and discuss it, providing some answers here instead of typing rhetorical quesions on a message board?

Did you really put any thought into it? I'm a conspiracy theorist on the EAST coast but even I can imagine some plausible explanations before running to "POLITICS!!!" (any more than daily politics go)

What's the POPULATION DENSITY of these various places. (something City Data tracks)

It's not decided by a random citizens' opinion that certain areas have certain types of poor people.

For example, part of my county has a seasonal VISA'D migrant agricultural population. We KNOW how many, what their needs are and provide that statistically. (special housing and schools etc)

1. How about hurricane repercussions?

2. Most (I think ALL) of those locations are in libraries and other county government offices/locations "regional service center" and govt community centers.

How many libraries does Plant City have? OH, ONE. Regional service center? NONE

Lithia? NONE. The closest library is Bloomfield which IS an early voting locaton.

Both within 15 minutes.

I imagine people who live in these two places have cars.

Please post an update of information after you get back from the Supervisor of Elections.

Sounds like you don't really know about the area if you didn't notice the simple basics of so many government offices in that "concentrated" area (in your opinion)

Over here on the Treasure Coast we have nothing called a "regional service center" but we do have county headquarters and TWO other early voting places. The LIBRARY and City Hall Council chambers.

EDIT: BTW not to brag but we have FREE public transportation all over my county Indian River County.

THEY STOPPED THE BUS SERVICE IN PLANT CITY NOT ENOUGH DEMAND. LIKELY THE SAME THING FOR "EARLY VOTING".

We have 150,000 residents, Plant City has 40K.

[Atari2600]

Of course... I'm totally wrong, it's perfectly normal... just me being conspiratorial.


There's over 25k people just in Fishhawk alone. There's a community center here where they provide voting on voting day. It's open all the time, they can easily provide early voting there. This absolutely has everything to do with what I think it has to do with. I also well-understand that my political affiliation is different from the two here that are protesting my bringing this up.

I e-mailed the Supervisor of Elections, and the state's election integrity board. I'll let you know if I receive a response.

Bloomingdale Library is 18 minutes away from the center of Fishhawk.

[MortonR]

Note that early voting locations are County facilities. There's a reason for this.

The logistics of setting up a multi-day voting facility are significant, it's not just a matter of lugging the equipment in and setting it up. There has to be dedicated network connections, for example - that's a 90-120 day SLA for Verizon, plus the cost. You need the space to be secure and stay that way for the duration. It can't be public space or accessible to the public. Most private venues that provide voting services on election day can't or won't provide long-term use/access to their facilities, especially not for free.

I've worked with the SoE on issues such as this as a County employee through a number of election cycles. It's a far more complicated process than you could imagine. The SoE here does a spectacular job that the average citizen has no grasp of the complexities involved. We're preparing months, sometimes years in advance for elections.

And let's split hairs about the distance to Bloomingdale library. 18 minutes away? Wow, that's really inconvenient! You could go to Riverview library instead and enjoy the traffic. Or you could vote by mail and not even have to leave home, or vote at your assigned precinct on election day, which is probably five minutes closer driving time.

RM

[cjairo191]

So in the map I see it mostly in highly populated areas with the exception of Brandon? Is Lithia/fishhawk that highly populated. Just asking cause I feel the world ends at lithia pinecrest road. And just west of it can be sparse. Just mail the damn thing..

[Atari2600]

Originally Posted by cjairo191

So in the map I see it mostly in highly populated areas with the exception of Brandon? Is Lithia/fishhawk that highly populated. Just asking cause I feel the world ends at lithia pinecrest road. And just west of it can be sparse. Just mail the damn thing.

I'm upset at the obvious bias... not because it really affects me. I can easily vote on election day.