Three FL Counties

[dougrhess]

I noticed an incredible increase in voter reg and turnout in St. Lucie and Santa Rosa Counties in LF. There was an enormous drop in Sarasota County. Anybody familiar enough with the regions to know why? The change was gigantic between 2000 and 2004.

[bushforever]

I imagine military votes and lots of trips by President Bush in Santa Rosa, Co., which I believe is near Pensacola.  In St. Lucie Co., most likely tremendous population growth.  And in Sarasota Co., probably good ol' voter apathy...but I'm very surprised since that was where Bush was on Sept. 11, 2001.  Maybe he should have taken another visit or two to Sarasota to help people remember.  But I'm still very surprised in Sarasota Co.  It's a beautiful area, very suburban, and I thought very republican.

[??????????]

Sarasota county was VERY hard hit by Hurricane Charley.

[bushforever]

Wow.  I'm afraid to go back to Western FL.  I stayed at the Best Western in Punta Gorda on the Peace River.  It's probably destroyed.  I also frequented Sarasota and Ft. Myers on my trip back in 2002.  I hope everything works out...it's just such a beautiful area, and the people there are great.

[??????????]

Wow.  I'm afraid to go back to Western FL.  I stayed at the Best Western in Punta Gorda on the Peace River.  It's probably destroyed.  I also frequented Sarasota and Ft. Myers on my trip back in 2002.  I hope everything works out...it's just such a beautiful area, and the people there are great.

Punta Gorda was THE worst hit town in all of south central/west Florida. We dodged the bullet here on Charley but 10 miles east of us in Polk county they got it bad as well. Lakeland/Winter Haven/Haines City all got it very bad 3 times in a row. But the national media ignored them for the more popular/populated counties on the east/west coast. Some people still don't have any power and I know loads of people who only have half a roof.

[bushforever]

Yeah, I know...Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte took a direct hit as Charley drove up the Peace River.  That town is probably completely destroyed.  It's so sad.  I loved that town...I wanted to move there.  I hope everyone in FL recovers soon, especially before the holidays.  The best of luck to all Floridians.

[jimrtex]

I noticed an incredible increase in voter reg and turnout in St. Lucie and Santa Rosa Counties in LF. There was an enormous drop in Sarasota County. Anybody familiar enough with the regions to know why? The change was gigantic between 2000 and 2004.

Must have been incomplete results.  The Atlas now shows a 21% increase for Sarasota.

Santa Rosa is in the Central Time Zone who were still going to the polls when the networks miscalled the state in 2000.