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Elections office not finished yet

Absentee ballots will not be available at the county courthouse until the remodeling is done.

By WILL VAN SANT
Published August 14, 2006

CLEARWATER - If you head to the Pinellas County Courthouse to grab an absentee ballot, you'll be out of luck.

Longtime civic activist Brenda Harris Nixon found that out last week when she tried to get a ballot before jumping in her motor home for a trip.

The Supervisor of Elections office at the courthouse, at 315 Court St., is being remodeled. A sign on the door directed Nixon and others to elections offices in Largo and St. Petersburg.

"My gosh, what if you lived in Tarpon Springs?" Nixon said. "I don't know what has happened to the Supervisor of Elections office."

Elections officials had hoped to have the remodeling done in July, but the work has taken longer than expected.

"There was no real big problems," said Richard Minnicus, a county facilities manager. "It was just manpower, and every step takes time."

Nancy Whitlock, a spokeswoman for the elections office, said the remodeling will be done before the start of early voting on Aug. 21.

Until then, voters can get absentee ballots from elections centers at 501 First Ave. N in St. Petersburg and at 13001 Starkey Road in Largo.

Voters can also call 727 464-6788 and have an absentee ballot mailed.

Whitlock said it made little sense to set up a kiosk at the courthouse location during the remodeling because so few people come by to get absentee ballots.

But she regretted that Nixon wasted a trip.

"I feel bad for this woman, I really do," Whitlock said. "I don't want her to be inconvenienced."

Will Van Sant can be reached at 445-4166 or vansant@sptimes.com.

[Last modified August 14, 2006, 06:32:44]