Michael Moline
The results of Florida’s Aug. 30 primary election are now final.
The state Elections Canvassing Commission — comprising Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam — took less than two minutes to certify the results Thursday morning.
Secretary of State Ken Detzner presided over the meeting in the state Capitol. Scott, Bondi, and Putnam participated by telephone. Scott was spending the morning clearing debris Hurricane Hermine left in Tallahassee’s streets.
If the process seemed perfunctory, it was done in the interest of transparency, Detzner said.
“If someone comes and has a question or wants to have a discussion about how the results were captured, we’re happy to answer those questions,” he said. “Transparency and public access to the final part of certifying the election we think are important.”
Detzner predicted voters would flock to the polls during the Nov. 8 general election.
“We anticipate as much as 80 percent turnout,” he said. “I think the highest number in the state of Florida was 1992 — it was 82 percent. But I’m looking for a very, very large turnout.”
He expects a smooth election, as well.
“I’m confident that the supervisors [of elections] are prepared. We want to make Florida an example to the nation and the world that we know how to run elections here,” Detzner said.
There was one glitch during the primaries — Broward County released some returns before the voting was final. Detzner referred the matter to local prosecutors.
“I have not heard any follow-up from the state’s attorney’s office,” he said.
Mistakes on vote-by-mail ballots appear to be on the decline, Detzner said. Still, he urged voters to be careful.
“If they are mailing their ballots in, make sure they sign them, make sure they fill them out, make sure they put a stamp on them and put them in [the envelope].”
Mail-in ballots and early voting are extremely popular with Floridians, he said.
“They really, really like it. Some counties set records, as a matter of fact, during the primary for early voting and mail ballot voting.”
