What You Need To Know on Primary Election Day in Hillsborough County

Looking for some facts to throw around the water cooler on Aug. 14, this year's date for the 2012 Primary Election? For starters, Hillsborough County has more registered Democrats (41 percent) than Republicans (34 percent), with one in four voters registered with no party affiliation or "other," according to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office.

In all, there were 704,398 registered voters reported as of July 16, this year's deadline to register. As of Aug. 13, the office received 56,775 ballots, of which 64.4 percent were vote-by-mail ballots.

Hillsborough voters will have to show up in force at the polls today, Aug. 14, to dramatically improve the 8.06 percent turnout those early votes (by mail and in person) represent.

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In all, the county has 347 precincts.

Florida is a closed-primary state, which means only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party's primary election.

Some races are countywide, which means votes for those races will be received at all 347 percincts. Those races include the contests for U.S. Senator, Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, the District 6 seat for the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, the District 7 seat for the Hillsborough County School Board and various races for judgeships.

The chart below shows these and other details, including who can vote in which races. Posted online at the supervisor of election's Web site is a list of local candidates and, via a link to the Florida Division of Elections, a list of federal and state candidates.

Also at www.VoteHillsborough.com is an online Precinct Finder. Who can you vote for, based on your party affiliation and where you live? Enter your address (street number and street name) to find your polling place and other information, including a "Republican Sample Ballot," a "Democrat Sample Ballot" and a "Minor/NPA Sample Ballot" for candidates with "other" and no-party affiliation statuses.

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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BY THE NUMBERS

PARTY AFFILIATION (As of July 16, 2012 deadline) Number Percent of Total Registered Democrats 288,988 41.03% Registered Republicans 237,014 33.65% Registered No Party Affiliation / Other 178,396 25.33% Total Registered Voters 704,398   VOTES CAST AS OF AUG. 13, 2012 Number Percent of Total Vote By Mail 36,578 64.43% Early Vote 20,197 35.57% Number of Ballots Received 56,775   Percent Turnout 8.06% WHERE TO VOTE Number of Precincts 347 Number of Polling Locations 272 Polling Places With Multiple Precincts 60 PRECINCTS PER RACE (AND PARTIES THAT CAN VOTE)   Party Affiliation Precincts U.S. Senator Democrats and Republicans 347 Congress, District 14 Republicans 171 Congress, District 17 Republicans 27 State Senator, District 17 Republicans 78 State Senator, District 22 Republicans 34 State Senator, District 24 Republicans 124 State Representative, District 57 Republicans 43 State Representative, District 59 Republicans 41 State Representative, District 61 All Voters 42 State Representative, District 63 Democrats 48 Property Appraiser Republicans 347 Supervisor of Elections Democrats 347 County Commissioner, District 2 All Voters 91 County Commissioner, District 6 Republicans 347 Circuit Judge, 13th Circuit, Group 14 All Voters 347 County Court Judge, Group 3 All Voters 347 County Court Judge, Group 4 All Voters 347 County Court Judge, Group 12 All Voters 347 School Board, District 1 All Voters 62 School Board, District 3 All Voters 76 School Board, District 5 All Voters 69 School Board, District 7 All Voters 347 Source: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections