Voter surveys litter Interstate 4 roadside

By Janet Zink and Luis Perez, Times staff writers
In print: Tuesday, November 4, 2008

TAMPA — The intersection known for years as "malfunction junction" has another notch on its belt.

Highway workers discovered hundreds of papers with voter information early Monday on the shoulder of the westbound Interstate 4 ramp just before the entrance to southbound Interstate 275 in Tampa.

The voter survey forms, discovered about 4:15 a.m., carried the names of Tampa residents, their party affiliation, age, sex, home addresses and some phone numbers. Most of that information is obtainable from public records.

Each entry also includes an option to show whether the voter supports John McCain or Barack Obama, and check boxes to mark whether the person voted or needs a ride to the polls on Election Day.

"It was apparently boxes of surveys that fell off a truck," said Kris Carson, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation.

The papers did not belong to any election office, and state and local and local election officials directed transportation officials to destroy the materials, she said.

No one ever claimed the papers. But Michael Steinberg, chairman of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee, said the information appears to have been generated by a software program used by the Democratic Party called Vote Builder.

"Everyone uses the same forms. I can't tell whether the list belonged to Obama, the Florida Democratic Party or our organization," he said.

"I would be a little annoyed that the information was laying out there for anyone to pick up and look at," he said. "Whoever lost the information really needs to be more careful about how they handle it. But we really have no control over that. We apologize if anybody was upset."

Carson said the questionnaires were first spotted by a traffic camera. The next call went to a private firm the state contracts with to clean up debris on roadways. Carson said that the company, Transfield Services, filled nine large garbage bags with the paper.

Comments on this article

by Steve	Nov 4, 2008 4:36 PM
Lets see, Obama/Biden and the rest of the left wings TRICKLE UP POVERTY PROGRAM - Hmmm, Count me out!!!!!!!!

by Debbie	Nov 4, 2008 4:36 PM
Taja, Afraid, of course we are and YOU should be also. The USA will become a socialist country, controlled by democrats who have only one agenda, to take from the American people. I'll be the first to say I told you so if Obama is elected.

by TAP	Nov 4, 2008 4:36 PM
I don't think the Socialist is going to win. And even if he does, then we can all quit our jobs and go on welfare b/c he's gonna make the rich poor & the poor rich, and then we'll be just like the people of Zimbabwe after it went to its current rule

by rin	Nov 4, 2008 4:35 PM
stupid people on this blog is what makes the world stop

by donna	Nov 4, 2008 4:35 PM
I feel sorry for all the Black people who think Obama will change their lives, get them good jobs, get higher pay, free health care,free education ect.. and then they realize nothing really will change.

by Dale	Nov 4, 2008 4:35 PM
Nick, you are clueless! Drudge didn't write the damn story, he LINKED to it. Get a clue! The paper that WROTE the story also endorsed OBAMA, KERRY and GORE. Wake up.

by Dale	Nov 4, 2008 4:34 PM
Mark, Drudge called them voter SURVEYS in the headline.

by Maribeth	Nov 4, 2008 4:34 PM
Obama running on "Change" is the same slogan that Adolf Hitler ran on. He is too vague and has never stated the change specifically. Voting on someone just because they have charisma is stupid. Look at the Adolf Hitler "Change"

by Billy_Bob	Nov 4, 2008 4:34 PM
I wonder if this could be a republican "dirty trick"? Use the same program the dems use and-dump 'em on the highway to make people mad. Hmm...and if it was the Dem's - Stop littering the highways and be more careful with personal information will ya

by Taja	Nov 4, 2008 4:34 PM
Be realistic, George Bush and his henchmen are over!Eight long years this country has suffered! Now this country will have a change of power. Can Obama screw up any worst than Dubuya? We have seen what damage is behind us lets unite and look ahead

by bill

Nov 4, 2008 4:33 PM

I think congress should pass more legislation protecting the American species {fortunatus opulentus}. They seem to be so rare and growing more so every day. According to the latest studies they number less than 6 million but control forty percent of the wealth. If Obama becomes president these noble animals will be hunted ruthlessly. Act now before we lose them to his cruelty. They are the closest thing we have to royalty.

by Lookout Obama	Nov 4, 2008 4:03 PM
I'd hate to be Obama when he fails to bring the change he has promised and doesn't make all his puppets rich. They will rip him a new one and we will all laugh and laugh.

by Taja	Nov 4, 2008 4:00 PM
Stop being afraid people. Face up to it, it is time for a change, and like it or not a change for the better is on the way. Get use to it!

by Matt	Nov 4, 2008 4:00 PM
Beginning tomorrow, 11-5-08, we shall be switching our references to conspiracy theories as having been perpertated by the left wing as the right wing will no longer be in power. Thank you.

by John	Nov 4, 2008 3:59 PM
Walk by faith not by sight. Don't believe the lies they are telling us. They will lose eventually.

by Teresa	Nov 4, 2008 3:59 PM
You got it so right Doug... It's easy to identify Democrats, they are the ones in line with their hand out, or hand in my pocket. Get a job add value to society stop social programs not welfare- work fair. NoBama/NoBiden.

by Paul	Nov 4, 2008 3:59 PM
A great day for our Republic. People are voting today in over whelming numbers to bring the change this counrty so desperately needs. President Obama and the Democratic congress will reverse the course of the last 8 years and make America great again

by Chuck	Nov 4, 2008 3:58 PM
I can't wait for these stupid rantings by psychotic right wing conspiracy nuts to stop.

by Tyrannus	Nov 4, 2008 3:57 PM
Dave (1:37PM) wrote that the revolution is coming and that the election of Obama will accelerate it. May history prove him right. If he is, then it is in the interest of revolutionaries to help elect socialists like Obama.

by cocoa	Nov 4, 2008 3:56 PM
Can someone please tell me why it is ok for President Bush to be President of U.S.A but a black man can't.Are you serious?If you do not riot for the wrong President Bush has committed why riot becasue the People have voted for the Best man to win.

by John	Nov 4, 2008 3:55 PM
Nick- Where on the drudgereport does it call this voter fraud... paranoia runs deep huh?

by Benjamin	Nov 4, 2008 3:55 PM
Obama becoming the President is not the end of America but it will be a fundamental change towards socialism and irresponsibility of individuals. While some governments under socialism have flourished, the USA will not be one of those governments.

by Julie	Nov 4, 2008 3:54 PM
Do all of you Obama supporters realize what partial-birth abortion is? EVIL and MURDER -- May God help us all if he wins.

by D. Reid	Nov 4, 2008 3:53 PM
The internet allows the ignorance of so many to be seen by all. It is astounding the small minds. I live in California (that explains it all) but grew up in Manatee County. It's great to be a Florida Gaytor!

by Cass	Nov 4, 2008 3:52 PM
Explains all the breathless polling results. Just get dump surveys that "send the wrong message" on the side of the road.

by Tim	Nov 4, 2008 3:45 PM
This is NEWS!!????? Must be a slow news day-----no wait, this is election day!! Wait again, this is (was) Florida, now I understand!!

by Matt	Nov 4, 2008 2:59 PM
Beginning tomorrow, 11-5-08, we shall be switching our references to conspiracy theories as having been perpertated by the left wing as the right wing will no longer be in power. Thank you.

by Obamathecleric	Nov 4, 2008 1:43 PM
I like this " Most of that information is obtainable from public records." So that means its ok that they possibly helped identy theft? MORONS!!!!

by Dave	Nov 4, 2008 1:37 PM
The coming of communism here will merely accelerate the day America engages what is long overdue: a real 2nd revolution, one with violence. Only when one side truly defeats the other will we have peace. Many of us are eager and ready for it.

by Jack	Nov 4, 2008 1:36 PM
People, all this is, is a simple accident. The papers were NOT ballots, and the people involved are NOT with acorn. They are probably part of some section of students for Obama. You people are jumping and frothing at the mouth over NOTHING!

by Nick	Nov 4, 2008 1:28 PM
Matt Drudge is unbelievable. Anyone familiar with political campaigns knows that these surveys are standard practice of both Reps and Dems! This is an empty story. This is not evidence of voter fraud, it is evidence that a campaign exists!

by Kix	Nov 4, 2008 1:28 PM
Contrary to a couple of comments, this has everything to do with the Democrat party. How do you think they did so great in the polls? But watch the riots when the real election results come in.

by YogiBear	Nov 4, 2008 1:26 PM
Would be nice if the cops went into Florida and uprooted this network of dirty trickers. Likely the same group that stole the 2000 and 2004 election and allowed 9/11 terrorists to roam around Dade county without blowing the whistle so they get a war.

by Nick	Nov 4, 2008 1:26 PM
You people are nuts. This is what campaigns do. The information was obtained by making phone calls to voters. Obama's supporters are identified and then they use those lists to make sure they turn out on election day. It is standard practice.

by Doug	Nov 4, 2008 1:25 PM
It's easy to identify Democrates, they are the ones in line with their hand out, or hand in my pocket. Get a job add value to society stop social programs not wellfair - work fair. NoBama/NoBiden.