WINTER HAVEN, Fla.—While exit poll numbers for different regions of Florida were similar, voters gave very different reasons for their choices.
While most voters in more urban Pinellas County mentioned the economy as a deciding factor, voters in more rural Polk County were also interested in morals and values.
An Epoch Times reporter interviewed exiting voters outside a polling site in the small town of Winter Haven, where most voters seemed to support Republicans, and for reasons more varied than in other regions.
A married couple, Ruby and Melvin Parker, both voted Republican, though for different candidates.
"I voted for Huckabee," Mrs. Parker told the reporter. "I like his stand on government, on the things he did as the Governor of Arkansas. But my main reason I voted for him, he's a godly man, and that's my first priority. If he follows what God says, why should I have to worry about anything else?"
Mr. Parker voted for John McCain because, "I think he's got a better handle on Foreign Affairs, and I think he'd make a better man in the White House."
Floridians are voting in their state's primary election on Tuesday, January 29, a week ahead of Super Tuesday. This gives Floridians a chance to make their voices heard ahead of the bulk of the nation (twenty states vote on Super Tuesday; Florida's primary election used to be in March.
This switch angered both national parties. The Democratic National Committee has a rule which states that no Democratic primaries can take place before February 5 (Super Tuesday.) Because of this, democratic candidates could not campaign in Florida. Many feel that this gives the GOP a chance to convert some Floridians in this important swing state. GOP candidates faced no such strictures.
Florida voters are also deciding to adopt or reject property tax reform measure Amendment One, which would raise the Florida Homestead Exemption, cap property tax increases for Florida residents buying new homes, and change the appraising methods for determining the value of some properties.
Mrs. Parker found the language of Amendment One difficult to decipher. She voted for it because, "As far as I understand it, it would be nice if I moved, I would be getting some benefits instead of leaving them all with that house. She commented that she found the language difficult to decipher
Mr. Parker also supported Amendment One, mainly for the provision that would allow Florida residents to transport existing tax benefits from their first residence to a new home.
(Amendment One would allow the 1992 Save Our Homes 3% annual property tax increase limit to transfer when Florida residents buy new homes; as it stands, property taxes are capped at 3% annual increase for a Florida resident's first home, but any new home is taxed at the prevailing rate.)
Voters 'Fed up,' Tired of 'Washington Attitudes'
Dissatisfaction with the current state of the government was a common theme.
Todd Weihmeir cited "values" as the main factor in his choice to support former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.
Mr. Weihmeir has voted Republican for the past several elections; this year, however, he will be registering as a Democrat for the final election.
He is switching, he says, because he is "sick and tired" of what the nation has been going through; "I am just fed up with it," he exclaimed. "We are going to make some changes, I hope."
When asked who he might support in the November election, Mr. Weihmeir said hadn't yet chosen a candidate, but was not excited by any of the candidates, Democrat or Republican.
"I wasn't even sure who I was going to vote for today as of this morning—there's really not a lot of great choices."
Mr Weihmeir voted "No" on Amendment One, because "It was confusing as all get-out." Mr. Weihmeir said that he talked to many people and studied the Amendment at length, and as far as he understood it, the various provisions offered him no particular benefits.
Caroline Hamm voted for Mitt Romney for "every reason; everything he says, I stand for.
"I believe very strongly that he will be the best president this country has seen since Reagan; he reminds me a lot of Ronald Reagan. That's why I voted for him."
Mrs. Hamm voted "Yes" on Amendment One. She initially planned to vote against it, but changed her mind because she felt like the State government opposed it. "I don't trust our government," she stated.
Bruce Hughart also voted Republican, choosing Mike Huckabee because, "I like his style, I like his moral convictions. I am tired of the general Washington attitudes."
Mr. Hughart voted in favor of Amendment One, saying, "A lot of County officers tried to scare people off" by threatening cuts to the police department and fire department.
Mr. Hughart felt that there was plenty of room for cuts at the top of the pyramid; that the County bureaucracy was top-heavy and could stand some thinning, and that basic services such as police and fire protection should be left alone.
"That bothered me more than anything, that they used that to try to scare people into voting "No."
Kevin Kibbee chose Mitt Romney, basing his decision on several different aspects of Romney's platform.
Mr. Kibbee believes that Mitt Romney would take care of the illegal immigrant problem, and would not give illegal immigrants free rein, no matter why they came to this country. (Some candidates have suggested an accelerated path to citizenship for immigrants who came to America to seek employment.)
Mr. Kibbee also believes Mott Romney is "in favor of the war, and will get that taken care of and handled, hopefully, instead of letting Congress push it around and making another Viet Nam out of it, which they have done so far."
Mr. Kibbee feels that Mitt Romney, because of his religious background, will support strong family values.
Mr. Kibbee voted in favor of Amendment One
Mr Kibbee explained that the original Homestead Exemptions and the Save our homes law were set up to protect the homes of Florida residents who did the work to attract and serve the vacationers who were—and are—the primary source of Florida's income.
Rising costs of living and property values, and thus property taxes, made the levels of protection offered by the existing programs inadequate.
Mr. Kibee feels that Amendment One is needed because when Save Our Homes was passed in 1992, "You could buy a house for $25,000—nowadays you can't buy a house for $200,000."
Far from being too much, Mr. Kibbee thinks the increased Homestead Exemption offered by Amendment One is still not high enough to "ensure that the people of the state, the people who maintain the state for the vacationers, can afford to live here."
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