Region Readies for Electoral Storm/Florida

[tlcandie]

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBBKT8UV0E.html

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Plainclothes police officers will be at polling stations Tuesday to help restore order if necessary. Federal authorities are sending election monitors to watch for civil rights abuses. A special command post will be established to handle emergencies.

The precautions being taken across Tampa for the uncertainty of next week's emotionally charged presidential election are starting to resemble the kind of emergency preparations reserved for approaching hurricanes.

Call it the coming electoral storm. Authorities, unions and minority groups are hard- pressed to remember preparing for an election quite like this.

On Thursday, representatives of the various advocacy groups, Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson, Sheriff Cal Henderson and Tampa Police Chief Stephen Hogue gathered for an unusual meeting over how to balance the rights of voters with the need to provide secure and efficient polling places.
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Long article...