Change Motivates First Time Voter

In an election of epic proportions, life long Floridian Omari Menns, 28, feels privileged to cast his vote for who he hopes will be the first African-American president of the United States of America.

"Judging by the polls, I am pretty confident that Barack Obama will win today," the first time voter said. "But I am still nervous, especially because of what happened in 2000," he added referring to the Gore/Bush debacle.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, 58% of all new registered voters in Florida are Democrat. Some would argue that much of this new registration could be contributed to first time African-American voters like Menns, who were inspired by Obama's message of change.

"It's not just because he is black," he said. "He's intelligent, his policies cater to the middle class, and he is the only candidate I think will help fix this country."

Menns recalls a time when his mother would be offered jobs after an interview over the phone, only to be turned down in the flesh because of her skin color. He remembers her coming home in tears, burdening the then 8-year-old boy with thoughts about he and his family's future. Would he too fall victim to racial discrimination?

"Having Obama in the White House will help change the image of African-Americans," Menns said. "It will show that black people are not just mug shots that you see on TV or people that are good at sports. It will show that they can be intellectual, attend Ivy League schools and even become president."

Menns' 54-year-old mother and 56-year-old father, also first time voters, see Obama in the oval office as a step in the right direction toward breaking race barriers around the country, and even the globe. Both he and his parents share the same hope that an Obama presidency will not only open new doors for African-Americans, but all minorities and citizens, alike.

"If there is a black president, it will be harder for African-Americans to feel like they don't have the same opportunities as other races," said Menns. "If Obama wins it will be a good day for all Americans, but it will be an extra special day in the black community."

By Corinne Regan; Edited by Nicole Rodriguez

Pastor Supports Amendment 2

On an ordinary Sunday service at Central Bible, Pastor John Stocker delivers his sermon after the offering is collected. After the church's usher collected the regular tithes and offerings, instead of turning to a Bible verse, Pastor Stocker spoke his mind about politics.

Hinting towards Barack Obama, Stocker said, "Any candidate that does not cherish human life, should not be the leader of our country." He was referring to Obama's opposition on a federal ban on partial-birth abortions. "I will not say names, but as Christians, we need to fill in the circle at the very top of the ballot," said Pastor Stocker in a stern voice. As he said that comment, the majority of the congregation began to clap and nod their heads up and down. Simultaneously, as some proudly said "Amen," others looked down feeling ashamed.

The most passionate part of the politically inspired sermon was focused on voting yes on Amendment 2 on Election Day. Amendment 2 does one thing. It defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife in the Florida Constitution. "God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve," said Pastor Stocker. According to him, voting yes on this Amendment lets the people of Florida decide how marriage is defined in our state and will also help prevent homosexual groups and activist judges from redefining marriage as the have in Massachusetts and California.

In Massachusetts and now California, activist judges have ignored the will of the people and re-written marriage laws to legalize same-sex marriages. "Marriage is under attack and the general population has no idea what will happen to their second Amendment right's if this law does not pass," says Stocker. In the next six months, Governor Charlie Crist will replace four of the seven members of the Florida Supreme Court, and Stocker expressed his fears to the church congregation. He fears what happened in those two states could easily happen in Florida over the next year as the make up of Florida's high court changes.

"If this does not pass, marriage could mean anything," Stockers says. "It could mean two men, one man three women, one man and a child, or even a man and an animal."

With the Election only days away, Pastor Stocker was not the only one with politics on the mind.

The whole church choir was wearing red, white, and blue as they sang their praise and worship songs. As church let out, you could hear the whispers as people left the. "Mom, I'm still voting for Obama," said one young lady.

By Monique White

Spreading Hope, One City at a Time

On Election Day the outside of Carol Mart, the flea market at the intersection of NW 27^th Avenue and 183^rd street in Miami, didn't look much different than it does on most days. Fancy cars with shiny rims were double parked in front of the building, boosters selling the latest music albums and DVDs crowded the parking lot and neighborhood children engaged in their familiar game of tag.

But one thing stood out. Smack dab in the middle of the parking lot was a man in a blue suit. A group of young men gathered around him as he spoke with authority.

"You have a chance to be a part of history," he said to the group. You have absolutely no excuse not to vote."

That man was 24-year-old Daniel Wilkins, North Carolina's Regional Field Co-coordinator for Barrack Obama's campaign who was in Florida to convince voters, particularly young blacks, to vote.

For Wilkins, Florida was the final stop on a long list of predominantly Red states including South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, and Ohio.

"You will be amazed if you knew how many young black voters aren't registered to vote around the country," he said. "A lot of them simply feel like it will make no difference whether they vote or not. My job is to let them know that they have a voice."

Kenton Thompson, a 21-year-old Miami native said although he registered, he wasn't planning to use his right.

"I heard that the lines were really long and that kind of discouraged me," he said. "I didn't want to stand in line for 5 hours. But Mr. Wilkins reminded me today how important it is to go and do my part."

Wilkins believes a lot of young black voters identify with him because like a lot of them, he too had it rough as a youth. Most of his childhood was spent on a hog farm in North Carolina. At the tender age of three years old his father left, leaving his mother Orida to provide for him on her own. His grandfather Elsie owned a plumbing business and harvested corn, and his grandmother Jessie, made a humble living as a maid cleaning houses in the area, a background that molded Wilkins with the belief that hard work always pays off.

In every stop he makes, Wilkins tells the story of his past as a way to reflect the hopelessness he once felt. But it is not by chance, that he is now a vital part of a campaign whose main message is hope.

Thanks to his hard work throughout high school, Wilkins received a full scholarship to the University of North Carolina where he majored doubled majored in psychology and political science. After graduation, he landed a job as the special assistant to G. K. Butterfield, Obama's national surrogate. According to Wilkins, when the opportunity presented itself to work for the Obama campaign, he didn't hesitate.

"I wanted to make sure that as the pages of history are written, I can look back and say my fingerprints are there as well," he said. "I first met Senator Obama in the Halls of Congress. This was long before he made it public that he was running for President. He still acts the same way today as he did when I saw him in the halls that day. He is a very humble individual."

Today, Wilkins spends his time flying from state to state, all expense paid. His Face book page includes countless pictures of him sharing laughs with Barrack Obama and other high ranking officials. The collage of photos along the campaign trail, show Wilkins is a part of a bigger team striving to make history. But through it all, he too remains humble.

"I still see myself as that little boy on the hog farm to be honest," he said. "Obama definitely brought me to a place where I am proud to be black and proud of my country. It is truly a milestone and he gives young black children everywhere hope."

By Renaldo Smith

One Voter’s Decision – Not To

Sitting casually inside the Fort Lauderdale International Airport, just hours before polls closed on Election Day, one Boston resident said she is completely satisfied with the decision she made in the historical 2008 election — none. She didn’t vote.

“I feel it would be hypocritical, because I don’t feel like either one of the candidates is qualified,” said the 34-year-old who identified herself as Roxanne.

In fact, Roxanne has never exercised her right to vote.

“I always thought that my vote wouldn’t really make a difference anyway. I know it might

sound ignorant. But I really don’t,” she said.

In recent elections, only about 50% of eligible voters actually voted. This year, registered

voters turned out in record numbers for early voting, and numbers were expected to reach record-breaking levels on election day. Still though, many eligible voters make the decision not to vote

for a number of reasons ranging from distrust in the voting system to disinterest in general.

“Bottom line is, I don’t like either of them,” Roxanne said referring to Barack Obama and John McCain.

Roxanne, who works for a major financial services company, said she recognizes the immense job the next Commander and Chief has ahead of him, especially with the current economic situation, yet, she could not bring herself to decide on the right man for the job.

Last year, Florida Senator Mike Bennett (R) proposed a bill – SB 494 – that would add an “I choose not to vote” option on congressional ballots, explaining that the option would give uninformed or disenfranchised voters a way to intentionally select none of the candidates, while still exercising their right to vote. The bill, which never made it to law, received mixed reviews.

While some voters feel they can’t decide on a preferred candidate, others just lose patience with the process. One voter left the lengthy line at a Hollywood polling station Tuesday with the intentions of going shopping instead and maybe trying again later.

“I’m not waiting three hours to vote,” she said. “Would you?”

By Shannon Severance

Does the Media Pick Sides?

This year's election has been an unprecedented rollercoaster and a turn in the right direction.

The last reported lynching was in Alabama in 1981 and 27 years later we find ourselves electing the first black presidential candidate, Barack Obama.

The fact that a black man has gathered such public support in a nation that is still very sexist and racist is a step in the right direction.

The same could be said about Senator Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. Women were first allowed to vote in 1929. Less than 80 years later the country might well have elected a woman president or vice president.

These advances have been made with help from the media, which helped break taboos and stereotypes, I can't help but feel, though, that the most influential news outlets picked a side from the time the final candidates from each party was established.

The news media is supposed to keep people informed and be neutral at all times. However, at a time when ratings and money seem to be a priority rather than content we find ourselves catering to sensationalistic news.

Picking sides and reporting gossip as facts or attributing it to anonymous sources has become a norm. Comedy Central has become the focal and most watched political news source with satirical shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report, winning over CNN, Fox news and MSNBC in ratings.

Pretty soon candidates will host conferences on the cartoon network to get young voters.

As readers and viewers we are partially to blame for this. Nowadays we turn to gossip blogs and believe everything they post. These blogs are based on gossip rather than actual news and are not accountable when they misinform the public.

Who's to blame? Is it the media for not upholding to a set of standards or is it the public whose attention span has diminished?

Roberto Moreno

Saltrick Loses Despite $ Advantage

Richard "Rick" Saltrick challenged Ann Murray for the District 1 seat on the Broward School but couldn't muster the votes to win.

Murray, 65, easily won the election, beating Saltrick with 58 percent of the vote, winning 35,649 to 27,207. Murray will fill the last two years of Eleanor Sobel's four-year term. Sobel won election to the state Senate Tuesday.

Saltrick, 41, grew up and currently resides in Hollywood. He attended South Broward High School and Orange Brook Elementary School, and holds a masters degree in Public Policy and Urban Planning from Harvard University. Saltrick, is currently employed by the city of Miami Beach as a civil engineer.

Saltrick, a City of Miami Beach engineer has not worked in the school system, but believed his experience in public policy and construction policies give him the experience needed for the job. Both of his parents worked for Broward County public schools, so education was always a topic at the dinner table.

Saltrick, says that his engineering background gives him the expertise to oversee construction spending. Some of his plans were to reduce schools dependency on the FCAT, increase teachers' salaries, and to reduce the amount of money spent on school construction.

Ann Murray, 65, Saltrick's opponent has an associate's degree from Broward Community College. She is a veteran school district transportation supervisor and community activist for the city of Hollywood. She began her career as a school bus driver in 1971. Some of her priorities are to prevent dropout rates from high school students, and reduce teacher transfers.

Both candidates want to improve the appearance of schools in east Broward County. Schools in west Broward are newer and are kept in better shape. They also plan to improve technology in all of Broward's schools.

The Broward County Public Schools is the sixth largest district in the nation. District 1 covers southern Broward County. The majority of the centers are elementary schools with a multiethnic-multicultural population.

Saltrick raised significantly more money than Murray, according to the county Supervisor of Elections records, about $95,000 compared to Murray's $35,000.

Murray ran her campaign by knocking on doors, hosting breakfasts, and church forums. Meanwhile, Saltrick set up a website for his campaign, sent out literature, and had the support of The Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel.

Saltrick's elaborate website lists his resume, qualifications, and priorities. "Vote for Rick Saltrick," signs surround the front yards of houses in Hollywood, where some residents called the neighborhood Ricksaltrickville.

Nelsi Maldonado

Chiari Loses Second Try to Unseat Bogdanoff

Democratic challenger Chris Chiari was defeated again by Republican incumbent Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff Tuesday night taking only 41 percent of the vote in his second bid for the District 91 seat in the state House of Representatives.

Bogdanoff received 34,519 votes to Chiari's 24,166 in a district that includes portions of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Chiari expected a close election despite being enormously outspent. He received an estimated $85,000 in contributions while his opponent received an estimated $527,000.

"It was a great fight and the results were unbelievable but it shows the power of special interest dollars and it shows the power of $400,000 of T.V.," Chiari said

In 2006, Chiari ran against Bogdanoff and captured more than 46 percent of the vote, despite being outspent 11 to one.

Both candidates are in favor of investing in alternative energy. Chiari wants to preserve the biofuel industry and natural resources along with encouraging expansion of solar power.

Both candidates called for an improvement to education. Chiari promised to reduce class sizes and back science over ideology in the state's curriculum while retaining the best teachers in Florida by compensation.

The candidates each received endorsements from labor unions, political action committees and other organizations.

Chiari was endorsed by state and Broward county firefighters along with the Broward Teachers Union and three labor unions from Broward, Palm Beach and the state respectively.

Bogdanoff received endorsements from political action committees in the medical community, the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of Palm Beach County and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the state's largest federation of employers.

Chiari was born in 1973 in Englewood, New Jersey and is a graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy, the country's only naval military honor high school. After graduating he attended Clark University obtaining a bachelor's degree in the science of economics. Afterwards he moved to California and founded the American Millennium Investment Corp in 1997. In 2000, he moved back to South Florida.

He is a member of the North Broward Democratic Club and was president of the Broward Young Democrats.

Chiari is part of the Facilities Task Force of the Broward County School Board tasked with the investigation of air quality and environmental complaints submitted by teachers and administrators. He also serves on the Broward Marine Advisory Board which handles issues on recreational boating.

Gabriel Garcia

Murray Takes School Board Seat

A veteran Broward School District employee won election to the School Board, replacing another board member who's moving on to the state Senate.

Ann Murray, 65, easily beat challenger Richard "Rick" Saltrick, taking nearly 58 percent of the vote and winning 35,649 to 27,207. Murray will serve the rest of board member Eleanore Sobel's four-year turn, which ends in 2010. The District 1 seat covers southeast Broward, from Hallandale Beach to Hollywood.

Murray has worked for the district for 22 years, most recently as a manager in the district's South Transportation Terminal. She said her experience made her the right candidate to take Sobel's place. Saltrick, who comes from a family of teachers, believed believed the school board needs someone from outside the district to take a fresh look at what Broward schools need.

Murray 's long involvement In community affairs no doubt helped her get elected. She is a member of the Hollywood Democratic Club and has served on the Broward Regional Health Planning Council, the Hollywood Education Committee, the Hollywood Council of Civic Associations, the Citizens' Emergency Response Team and the Boulevard Heights Homeowner Association. She unsuccessfully ran for Hollywood City Commission earlier this year.

Saltrick is an engineer with the City of Miami Beach who has a master's degree in public policy and urban planning from Harvard University.

During the campaign, she stressed the need to stabilize overcrowded schools. She supports creation of citizenship classes to improve student discipline and creation of academic programs during non-school hours for students who attend high-poverty or low-performing schools.

Saltrick stressed the need to find money to keep top teachers and to restore parents' confidence in the school district by making sure schools are safe and meet both student and family needs.

Pamela Duque

Youthful Spin on Election

When Marianna Castro, 22, became an American citizen this past July, she was thrilled at the thought of voting this November. Since late last year she has been keeping tabs on the election, even when she wasn't sure of her voter status. Since pledging her allegiance to the American flag and registering, she shifted her interest in the campaign to encourage others to get passionate about the election and vote.

"Young people think politics are boring," said Castro. "But I want them to know that their one vote can make a difference."

Since early 2008 when election fever set in, many young adults have been using media like Facebook and Youtube to express political views or to learn about what is going on in the political scene, two sites that were virtually unknown during the 2004 elections.

Castro, like most college students, can't go a day without logging into her Facebook account; whether it's to add new friends, post pictures from that weekend's parties or recently, to assert support for her candidate, Senator Barack Obama.

On Election Day, Facebook's main page features a counter with the number of how many people have claimed to vote. By 6:04 p.m., the rapidly changing counter was at 3,546,449.

On the same website, users can post free partisan gifts on friends' profiles, like blue "I ♥ Obama" or red "I ♥ McCain" badges.

"Lots of my friends changed their status to show that they voted," said Castro. "Everyone is really into [the election], even non-voters."

To spread her support for Obama, Castro sent out numerous Obama gifts to friends as a fun way to show her love for the candidate.

Another big hit in this year's elections is video sharing.

On Youtube, just a week before Election Day, a video of 6^th and 7^th graders at an Atlanta school received great praise for their remake of T.I.'s chart topping hit, "Whatever You Like", where the students change the lyrics to "You can vote however you like." That same week, the students were featured on CNN.

The popularity of the election for young voters even spread to the fashion industry. At Urban Outfitters, a popular clothing store among young adults, political agenda apparel has seasoned the racks, selling fast.

In the store's holiday-themed window display at Aventura Mall, stand three mannequins donning colorful Obama shirts. But, that is not all.

The retail store also sells six styles of coffee mugs, including the Democrat-friendly "Friends Don't Let Friends Vote Republican" or "Republicans Kick Ass," with the picture of a donkey for the more conservative crowd.

This year's election produced a newfound patriotism among young voters, with the youth demographic turning out in record numbers at the polls.

"More people realized that being ignorant about politics is no longer 'cool'." Said Castro. "The election has a direct effect on our future, and young people are finally getting the picture."

By Marlene Pimentel; Edited by: Nicole Rodriguez

Lamberti is Sheriff After Nail-Biter

The race for Broward County Sheriff slowly and steadily turned out to be one of the most unpredictable and suspenseful ones on Election night.

Al Lamberti apparently managed to edge out opponent Scott Israel, about 51 percent to 49 percent or 324,680 votes to 315,02. The narrow margin made for nail-biting moment for Lamberti's supporters throughout the night. And the results could yet change after absentee ballots are counted or if there is a recount.

"The message has resonated with people. This is a professional position, not a political one. And you know public safety shouldn't be determined by who raises the most money or who's in the right party and people get that," Lamberti said.

The Carolina Golf Club in Margate was decked in white and green balloons, BSO's signature colors. In the middle of a room packed with supporters, Lamberti made the rounds, his wife Holly by his side every step of the way.

"Our best is yet to come. I'm feeling good right now," said the sheriff.

Earlier in the day, Lamberti, 54, maintained that positive attitude as he voted at St. Vincent's Catholic Church in Margate.

After casting his ballot, the sheriff walked out of his polling place and was greeted by supporters.

"It's very, very strange voting for yourself. It's the only time I've ever voted for myself other than for president of the Margate Baseball League," he said.

Supporters see Lamberti as an innovative, cerebral commander. Colleagues say he has a natural management style, which has helped him become chief of three cities during his 31-year career.

In September 2007, Lamberti replaced former Sheriff Ken Jenne, who was convicted on federal charges of income tax evasion and mail fraud. Lamberti became the first Broward sheriff in 93 years to rise through the ranks. His opponent, 52-year-old former North Bay Village Police Chief Scott Israel, has been described as a tough street cop. He had headed Fort Lauderdale's SWAT team.

Vanessa Ruiz

Republican Bogdanoff Wins in Democratic Broward

Voters re-elected a well-known Republican state representative instead of changing directions and electing a Democratic challenger who was seeking that seat for the second time.

Ellyn Bogdanoff won easy victory against challenger Chris Chiari, with 58 percent of the vote, 33,160 to 23,508, and will retain her seat in the state House of Representatives, representing a district containing a portion of Broward County, one of Florida's most Democratic.

Bogdanoff, 48, faced a tough race against the 34-year-old Chiari, who nearly unseated her in the 2006 election. She declared victory only two hours after returns started coming in at 7 p.m.

"It's very clear at this point who has won," she said at a victory party at Riley McDermott's on Las Olas Boulevard. "You present yourself to the people as best you can and they've clearly given me another chance to represent them."

Bogdanoff's supporters, though were not as confident earlier in the day.

"It's going to be tough, if not tougher than the last one," said campaign manager Todd Richardson said Tuesday afternoon.

Bogdanoff, a lawyer, is a former shareholder in Setnor, Byer, Bogdanoff, an insurance broker. Chiari is the president of American Millennium Investment Corp., a business consulting company.

Chiari attacked Bogdanoff for her support of teaching intelligent design in schools, her support of the pro-life movement and her support of legislation that would weaken laws requiring government to make all its actions public.

Having run against Chiari once before, Bogdanoff used a different approach this time around.

Though she is a Republican, her advertisements were absent of any Republican association except the required fine print at the bottom of the advertisement in an attempt to maintain a bipartisan appearance. Her opponent however made every effort to point out her Republican history.

Both candidates campaigned until the very end, putting sign-waving supporters on the street corners the weekend before the election urging South Floridians to vote their way.

Bogdanoff campaign members were at the intersection of Federal Highway and Broward Boulevard waving signs for support even on Election Day.

With a significant difference in monetary contributions, Chiari was the monetary underdog in the race with only $57,658 raised compared to Bogdanoff's $407,165.

Mikiala C. Tennie

Forman Beats Perennial Candidate

Broward Clerk of the Courts, Howard C. Forman, won election to a third term Tuesday, receiving nearly 80 percent of the votes and easily beating challenger Beverly Kennedy.

With 750 of 786 precincts reporting, Forman received 441,879 votes to Kennedy's 134,524.

"I've been in service for 35 years, and I'm proud of all of my achievements at the office," Forman said of his victory. "I'm a better known candidate, the public knows what I've done for the county, and they appreciate it."

With eight years of experience in the position. Forman faced little competition from Beverly Kennedy, who has run for the position and lost eight times.

Forman said he fulfilled the three promises he made when he was elected eight years ago: to improve courthouse technology, to bring court services to the neighborhoods and to provide better customer service.

The Broward Clerk of the Courts Office serves the 17^th Judicial Circuit, the second largest jurisdiction in the state, including such cities as Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Lauderhill, Miramar and Pembroke Pines. With 965 employees, the office handles court documents, traffic citations, foreclosures, marriage licenses and jury duty. The job pays around $162,000 a year.

In his next term Forman promises to continue dealing with such issues as foreclosures, domestic violence and child support, and he plans to start cracking down on identity theft.

But Forman said his office returned a surplus of $1 million. He said he had expanded public access to services and started the conversion from "paper office" to "electronic office," by making more services available online.

Forman, 62, has served two consecutive terms at the Broward Clerk of the Courts and previously served at the Hallandale City and Broward commissions, as well as in the Florida Senate.

Kennedy, 65, is a financial adviser, running with no party affiliation. She is married to former Court Clerk Ed Kennedy, who was defeated by Forman in 2000.

As of mid-September Forman said his campaign had raised about $65,000, while Kennedy raised about $11,000.

Maria V. Trueba

Mario Diaz-Balart Hangs On, Barely

Republican incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart barely held on to his seat in Congress Tuesday after a close race against Democrat Joe Garcia, taking just over 52 percent of the ballots and winning 118,096 votes to 107,100

"We knew this would be a tough election, we were out spent, but not out worked," Diaz-Balart told supporters at a victory party Tuesday night in Kendall.

Diaz-Balart faced his toughest challenge ever from Garcia. The candidates, both Cuban-American, spent more than a million dollars bashing one another in television ads, each charging the other with corruption.

Diaz-Balart, 47, who is completing his third term, believed he will be re-elected based on his record and effectiveness.

Garcia, 44, the former executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation, hoped to rewrite the rules on traditional Cuban voting habits, yet rarely mentioned Cuba at his public appearances.

''I'm running for the 25th Congressional District in South Florida, where people are concerned about their jobs, the economy and taxes,'' Garcia said.

The campaigns traded insults through Election Day.

The National Republican Congressional Committee first went after Democratic Raul Martinez, who is running against Diaz-Balart's brother Lincoln in District 21, but then turned its sights on Garcia with a television ad attempting to link him to Barack Obama that said, "Garcia likes the idea of redistribution of wealth."

Diaz-Balart's name and experience gave him an edge in the race.

He started his career as an aid to the former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez in 1985. He was first elected for the Florida House in 1988 for an empty seat left by his older brother, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who moved to the Florida Senate. In 1992, he took his brother's seat in the Senate when Lincoln Diaz-Balart was elected to U.S. Congress. He went back to the Florida House after his term-limited out of the Senate.

District 25 was created by Diaz-Balart when he chaired the committee of redrawing congressional district lines in the state House. He won the seat in 2002 and has not had a tight race since.

Joe Garcia was aiming for a second chance for public office.

Garcia ran unsuccessfully for Miami-Dade County Commission in 1993, in another close race. He became the first Hispanic chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission and served from 1994-2000. From 2000-2004, he was the executive director of CANF and later was the chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, 2006-2007.

"My opponent was right there with the president," Garcia said. "Then when it got hot in the kitchen, he walked away, cleaned his hands of it, and talked about what he would have done, not what he did do."

Leilani Laureano

Marriage vs. Politics

Norma and Fred Carnes are joined in holy matrimony but split down the middle for this 2008 election.

Norma, 61, a Democrat, wholeheartedly supports Barack Obama.

"I've never lost an election," she said.

When asked how she and her husband get along in spite of their political differences, Norma explained that they believe in respecting differences because everyone is entitled to an opinion.

"If people weren't different, life wouldn't be interesting," said Norma.

Fred is a Republican and supports McCain because of what they have in common.

"I respect him because he's a veteran," said Fred.

Fred pointed to the cap he wore which had the words "Korean War" stitched on the front.

Norma said she can't support McCain because of his vice-presidential choice.

"I don't like Palin, she doesn't have enough experience, she's only the governor of a small state."

Fred argued that a state is a state, but Norma quickly dismissed him.

"If she were governor of a state like where we're from, we're from Massachusetts, I could understand because Massachusetts is a big state. Palin is too Hollywood, maybe in another ten years she could win," said Norma.

Mikiala C. Tennie

Israel Won’t Be Sheriff

Democrat Scott Israel's hopes to become Broward's next Sheriff apparently came Tuesday night after what may be a hair-splitting win by incumbent Republican Al Lamberti in a county where Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans.

Lamberti apparently won election 51 percent to Israel's 49 percent, 324,680 to 315,023, but that could change after absentee ballots are counted or in the event of a recount.

It was a tight race for both candidates who fought to lead 6,300 personnel and handle a $700 million budget.

Israel said he hoped Broward county voters would see he had the experience and dedication to lead the Broward County Sheriff's Office better than Lamberti.

Israel served as police chief in North Bay Village for four years until he resigned this year to run for sheriff. He received the Police Chief of the Year honor in 2005 from the Miami-Dade County Police Benevolent. Israel said he is an outsider who does not owe anyone in the sheriff's office any favors.

``I am the better candidate by far,'' Democrat Israel said earlier Tuesday.

Lamberti, a Republican, was appointed Broward County Sheriff by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in September 2007 after former Sheriff Ken Jenne was indicted and eventually convicted on corruption charges.

Lamberti said he hoped his record would convince voters to elect him for a full term and they did.

"I've turned the entire department upside down in the past year," Lamberti said during the campaign.

Israel's supporters, many of them Broward Sheriff's Office deputies and Fort Lauderdale Police Officers, gathered at Himarshee Bar and Grill in Ft. Lauderdale to await election returns.

They were confident as Israel took a 5,000- vote early lead. But the smiles soon turned to looks of concern as Israel's lead slipped away and didn't bounce back.

Israel waited for the results with his family and was expected to go to Himarshee afterwards.

Joelle Parra

Martinez Loses to Diaz-Balart in Dirty Campaign

One of the dirtiest congressional races in the nation, ended as a clear victory Tuesday for incumbent U.S. Rep. Lincoln-Diaz-Balart who beat former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez 117,882 to 86,553 votes.

Speaking to supporters at the Hyatt Regency in Hialeah Tuesday night, Martinez put a game face on his defeat.

"Obama will make sure that the changes I spoke about will live," he said.

The battle between two powerful and prominent Cuban-American leaders ended after each contender portrayed their opponent as sleazy and corrupt.

The battle between Democrat Martinez and Republican Diaz-Balart was more than just Republican vs. Democrat.

The mostly Hispanic Congressional District 21 includes parts of both Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

Martinez, 58, came to the race with heavy political baggage.

Convicted in 1991 of a racketeering and extortion case, but the conviction was reversed on appeal and two subsequent trials ended in hung juries. He stepped down in 2005, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family and construction business. This is the first time he ran for office since leaving the mayor's office.

His opponent, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 53, has seen little or no opposition since he won his congressional seat in. Martinez said Diaz-Balart was aligned with President George W. Bush and did to prevent the Iraq war or the economic downturn in the economy.

Jennifer Alfonso_Martinez

Taddeo Comes Closer Than Expected

In an underdog challenge to a veteran member of Congress, Democrat Annette Taddeo fell seven points short of ousting Republican U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, in a district where Republican voters hold a bare majority.

Taddeo, 41, born in Columbia and founder and CEO of translation and interpretation company LanguageSpeak, was a first-time candidate. Ros-Lehtinen has represented the 18^th district since 1989. The district includes Miami Beach, Little Havana, Pinecrest and the Florida Keys.

Ros-Lehtinen became the first Hispanic female in Congress when she was elected 19 years ago. Taddeo, who converted to Judaism in her 20s, hoped to become the first Hispanic Jewish female to do the same thing.

While Ros-Lehtinen was ahead in the polls by a large margin from the beginning of the race, more recent polls showed Taddeo closing in.

"We have a feeling that we're going to surprise a lot of people and have a huge upset," Taddeo said the morning of the election.

Some of this was due to the significant drop in Republican voters over the past two years in District 18, where the Republican edge dropped from 23,202 voters to 1,730.

Taddeo hoped her belief that the U.S. government should encourage Cuban families to visit Cuba and allow them to help their island relatives financially would sway older Cuban voters, a largely Republican demographic.

But it's the newly-registered Cuban youths that make up the greatest difference in the political divide of the Cuban community.

"I think this whole election is a generational change election," Taddeo said before the vote.

Taddeo's campaign was confident the district was ready for a Democrat representative, calling Ros-Lehtinen "a Bush rubber-stamp" who has voted in support of President George W. Bush's policies 86 percent of the time. In television ads, she referred to Ros-Lehtinen and Bush "two peas in a pod."

Taddeo said her first priority in office would be to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or S-CHIP, as nearly one in six children in Florida lack health insurance.

"When I got into the race we had 700,000 kids in Florida without health insurance, now it's 800,000," Taddeo said. "So the problem has gotten worse. It's going to get worse if the economy worsens."

Taddeo supporters gathered at Soyka's Restaurant Café and Bar in the Miami Design District to watch election results on a large flat screen television, enjoying hors d'oeuvres and signature "Taddeotinis," a concoction made of vodka, passion fruit nectar and lemon juice.

Even with Ros-Lehtinen leading in the polls, Taddeo supporters appeared peaceful and confident.

"I worked at South Miami Senior High School," said Charlotte Plinden, 45, a campaign volunteer, "And most of the votes that came in were for Annette Taddeo. I am confident that she will succeed."

Despite the loss, Taddeo said she's proud of her effort.

"I ran a clean and fair race and that I talked about the issues," she said. "I worked extremely hard."

Gustavo Bolanos

Setti Not Surprised by Loss to Wexler

Former Cooper City Mayor Russell M. Setti expected to lose his underdog campaign to unseat Democratic Broward County Commissioner Lois Wexler and was not surprised Tuesday night.

Wexler easily beat the challenger, 50,883 votes to 17,257, but Setti was not unhappy.

"It's not all about victory but about participation and democracy," Setti said. "Wexler did not want to have a debate with me. You can't be an official without being accountable."

District 5 includes the entire city of Cooper City and portions of Davie, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, The Town of Southwest Ranches, Sunrise and Weston

Setti, administrator of Broward Soil and Water Conservation, based most of his campaign on environmental issues saying that if elected he would re-evaluate the county's recycling program, improve environmental checks and balances, adopt tiered water system charges and reward conservation, among others issues.

Setti campaign urged citizens to vote on issues and not on party affiliation and believes in an election reform.

"We were not founded as a two party system. In George Washington's time people were elected based on the person and the issues not the party," he said. Setti wants to change the election process where all parties are equal so that non-partisans are not treated like second class citizen.

Wexler, a one-term commissioner who served as Broward County mayor for the last year, wants to continue expanding programs and services for senior citizens and recognizing the importance of utilizing data and technology in our current systems.

Setti, 65, was born in Brooklyn, NY. In 1973 at age 29 he was elected to the Cooper City Commission. He was re-elected in 1975 and 1977.

He is a member of the Broward County Agricultural Council, Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce, Hollywood-South Broward Board of Realtors and Tropical Rare Fruits and Vegetables Society.

Dainelys Martinez

Wexler Beats Setti 3-to-1

Incumbent Broward County Commissioner Lois Wexler easily won a second term Tuesday, taking 75 percent of the ballots and beating challenger Russell Setti, 52,025 votes to 17,650.

"It was an easy race. There was zero interest in this race within the community because people thought I was running unopposed. I had 77 percent of the early and absentee votes by 7:30," Wexler said Tuesday night.

Wexler, 59, has served as Broward County mayor for the past year, a position that rotates among commissioners. She previously served 12 years on the Broward County School Board.

The Democratic candidate was elected in 2004 to represent Cooper City and portions of Davie, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise and Weston.

Wexler based her campaign on the need to provide for children and the elderly, to improve public safety and to make government more efficient. But as commissioner, she supported major budget cuts made necessary when voters approved an amendment to the state constitution that cut property taxes. Among them: reductions in county library and park hours, elimination of vacant positions and reduced bus service.

Setti, 65, an administrator with the Broward County Soil and Water Conservation District and former mayor of Cooper City, ran as an independent. The conservation district has tussled with Broward commissioners over control of the county's environmental projects.

Cristina Alor

Wasserman Schultz Breezes Through Vote

Beating her opponent by a three-to-one vote margin, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz won re-election to her seat Tuesday, beating challenger Margaret Hostetter, 192,947 votes to 55,246

With 78 percent of the votes, Wasserman-Schultz won by such a landslide that some media outlets such as, CNN.com reported she ran unopposed. This will mark her third term in office.

Compared to candidates in other races, Wasserman-Schultz campaign was barely visible, though her campaign finance said she spent more than $1.2 million.

"I voted for Debbie because I'm impressed with what she's been able to accomplish in our community," said Marsha Cohen, 56, after voting at Weston Regional Community Center. "Her name is known. I think she can win on that alone. I just wish there was a visible presence."

Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz was deemed a shoe-in against under-funded challenger Hostetter.

Margaret Hostetter, 62, a licensed realtor and teacher unaffiliated with a party, presented herself as "Your Independent Voice for Sensible Change!" Hostetter and Schultz also competed for the seat in 2004.

Hostetter told the Sun-Sentinel that she doesn't expect to win. She is simply running to provide people with a choice on the ballot.

Wasserman Schultz, who succeeded Peter Deutsch in 2004, represents a district that encompasses portions of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Wasserman, who is Jewish, is popular among her district's large Jewish population.

While in office, Wasserman Schultz enacted legislation that protected children from Internet predators and enacted new drainage requirements for swimming pools.

She was an early supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, but strongly backed Barack Obama after Clinton conceded defeat.

Wasserman Shultz believes the country must become less dependent on foreign oil and supports research into renewable forms of energy. She opposes off-shore drilling, seeing it as an environmental risk. Along with Obama, Schultz hopes to formulate a timeline through which American troops can safely withdraw from Iraq.

Christin Erazo

Gelber Easily Wins State Senate Seat

Florida Rep. Dan Gelber easily won election Tuesday to the state Senate, beating newcomer Dean Santoro, by a three-to-one margin, 99,724 votes to 37,772, in a district spanning parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

A political force in the Florida House of Representatives, the former Democratic minority leader campaigned on promises to improve public education, to provide health insurance for 3.8 million uninsured Floridians by giving incentives to employer-based health care plans and to address the inequities in Florida's tax structure.

The 320,000 voters in District 35, which borders the north shore of Miami-Dade County and includes parts of Hollywood,Pembroke Pines and West Park in Broward County, chose the experienced politician over a rookie, who offered voters "a unique opportunity to break from the politics of the past."

A graduate of Tufts University and University of Florida, Gelber has been an advocate for education, healthcare, public safety and the environment concerns throughout his legislative career.

Gelber believes that Florida is being transformed from a mid-wage, low-cost state to a low-wage, high-cost state, a path that could jeopardize the state's future and the well-being of its residents.

"The great challenges of our state begin and end with Florida's public education; we've funded education in this state on the cheap," Gelber said. He wants to raise standards, but not use the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, the FCAT, as the "sole organizing principle" of school accountability.

Santoro, a University of New Haven alumnus, has a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in management. Like Gelber, Santoro also believes "education is the most important issue in my district and in the state."

The two candidates agreed that restructuring the education system is crucial; however, Santoro wants to cut local and state government spending, while Gelber, criticizing his opponent, says "reform and relief must be together."

Catherine Thomas

Hostetter Loses to Wasserman Shultz…Again

Margaret Hostetter's 47,768 votes were not nearly enough to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz Tuesday. Wasserman won an easy third term representing the 20^th congressional district with 163,946 votes, 78 percent of the total.

For Hostetter, the race has been a constant uphill battle, beginning when Wasserman Schultz raised $1.2 million mostly from political action committees. Hostetter's only funds throughout the campaign were the $10,000 that came out of her own pocket.

"It was very easy for her," Hostetter said, "This system is designed to favor the incumbent."

Hostetter ran solely to provide an alternative to the voters of the mostly Democratic District 20, which covers much of western Broward County and a slice of Miami-Dade County's northern coast.

"I wanted to give the people an option," Hostetter said, "We have serious problems and I feel I have respectable and beneficial solutions."

Margaret Hostetter and Debbie Wasserman Schultz are familiar names to voters in Florida's Congressional District 20. Wasserman Schultz defeated Hostetter in 2004 as the heavy favorite. She had been a state legislator since 1992 and had more than $1 million in funding and endorsements from 30 organizations and unions. She advanced to a second term in 2006, unopposed, which motivated Hostetter to run again.
The two candidates differ over many social and fiscal issues. Hostetter ran in 2008 with no party affiliation, yet she has been a longtime Republican activist and member of the Christian Coalition. Hostetter is pro-life and against the government's economic bailout a few months ago. Democrat Wasserman Schultz supports abortion, gay rights and the bailout plan.
Hostetter is a realtor who lives in Davie with her husband Paul Kelly Moore. She has two children named Jennifer, 34, and David, 24.

In 2002, she was appointed to a diversity committee for Broward County public schools. She became known for her tough stand against teaching tolerance towards homosexuals, which she claimed was an attempt to force acceptance of an abnormal lifestyle.

Briton Alonso

Campaigning by Guitar

Clad in cut-off khaki shorts and a white cowboy hat, Robert Cooper Welsh, Jr., 55, a self-proclaimed "political junkie," amused voters waiting in line at a South Miami polling place by playing guitar and singing tunes opposed to development in South Miami.

"The intentions with the guitar is to advertise in a different way than what the people are used to getting," Welsh said, who hopes to stop development at South Miami's borders."

Welsh, who lives west of South Miami Hospital, is concerned that the hospital wants to expand into his Manor Lanes neighborhood. He said he wants the area to remain limited to two-story homes .

Then Welsh played his song.

"If Downtown's build up like Brickle, will your taxes go down a nickel?

If the bank just keeps getting taller, will your taxes go down a dollar?"

Gustavo Bolanos

Working the Lines in the 25th

Dozens of cars lined up in front of each other in order to score a coveted parking spot near the South Kendall Community Church where Florida congressional candidates Joe Garcia and Mario Diaz- Balart were speaking with people waiting in line to choose who would represent the 25^th Congressional district.

Television cameras and campaign volunteers clustered outside and the church's grounds were adorned with political signs. People waited patiently in line in the early afternoon sun to cast their votes.

"This is a historic election for Florida considering that Hispanic Republican votes in the 25^th district previously had an eight point lead in comparison to that of the Democrats. With Joe Garcia running in this election, there is about a 1 percent difference now," said Melissa Agudelo, Joe Garcia's campaign press secretary who is running for the 25^th district.

Ana Alvarez

At the Y-M-C-A

The line at the Greater Hollywood YMCA was one of the longest lines around the city of Hollywood. While voters at some polling places waited only an hour to vote, voters at the YMCA had no such luck, as they stood in a line of at least 80 people.

It could have been very discouraging for people having to work or go to school, or who simply didn't want to wait in line. But voters at the "Y" seemed to have all the time in the world to cast their ballots.

Jim and Joyce Davidson, a retired couple who voted two weeks ago, walked around the lines surrounding voters were at the YMCA to show support for today's voters try to recruit McCain –

Palin supporters.

They planned to stay until 3:00 p.m., when Jim Davidson had a dental appointment.

Nelsi Maldonado

Jews for McCain, Jews for Obama

The signs being held by supporters at the front and back entrances of the Aventura Government Center on Tuesday represented the contradicting views surrounding this election.

At the front entrance, Cory Digeronimo held a "Democrats for McCain" poster. The 34-year-old Aventura pediatrician has always been a Democrat. Yet, this year's Democratic candidate makes him nervous. He's worried that Barack Obama is a Muslim, even though he says he's a Christian.

Newspapers and television stations throughout the country have established that Obama is, indeed, Christian. But Digeronimo, who is Jewish, remains uneasy.

"He has a shady past and I don't trust him," said Digeronimo.

The supporters on the other side of the building told a different story.

Hayyim Feldman, 56, travelled from Boston to help with the Jewish Outreach for Obama. He waved a "Pro Israel – Pro Obama" sign.

Feldman describes himself as a progressive independent who has not supported a Democrat since Clinton, but he is confident Obama is the best candidate for Israel.

"I believe he has the character and skill qualities to achieve something," Feldman said.

Sen. Obama impresses Feldman simply because he seems to care about the Middle East more than Sen. McCain.

"The Middle East conflicts are not even on McCain's agenda, and we have seen what happens when we leave these things to fester," Feldman said, "At least Obama seems to care."

Briton Alonso

Neither Are Very Good

Getting up early and voting on Election Day is not something new to Manuel Nuñez, it is something he has done since he came to the U.S. in the 1960s.

On Tuesday, Nuñez, 78 and a resident of Weston, waited reading a newspaper while his wife voted; he had voted earlier to avoid the lines. He went alone hours earlier to avoid any lines.

Ordinarily a Republican voter, Nuñez was not thrilled about either candidate and took extra time with his decision.

"Out of the two evils to choose from, I think McCain was better," he said.

Nuñez emigrated from Cuba more than 40 years ago, Nunez worries that if Obama wins the U.S. will turn into a socialist country.

Although he voted Tuesday morning for John McCain, Nuñez's party affiliation did not create a coattail for the rest of the ballot.

In fact, McCain was the only Republican candidate he voted for. Nuñez said he left 80 percent of the ballot blank because the wording was hard to understand and he didn't want to vote to someone he did not know or like.

"I love this country and I look for the best of this country," Nuñez said. "In the next four years I wish everyone would understand each other and work with one another, no matter what happens tonight."

Cristina Alor

Voter Regrets & Amendment 2

Miami Lakes Branch Public library was empty this morning with only a few people campaigning and even fewer waiting in line to vote. Among those campaigning was Henry Alberto, a gay, 25-year-old actor and Miami native. Alberto had been campaigning to vote no on Amendment 2, the measure defining marriage and limiting civil unions regardless of gender, since early Sunday.

But he was upset he couldn't take back his decision to vote for Obama. With Obama supporters encouraging early voting, Alberto felt he fell for Obama-mania. He worries about Obama's credibility and the fact that no one really knows what to expect if he is elected.

"Obama is sketchy. He never once has denied being a socialist," said Alberto.

Alberto hasn't always received positive responses as he worked against Amendment 2. Those who favored the measure often walked by and yelled obscenities.

Politics and Family Peace

A political quake rocked the Chavez household this political season. Estella Chavez, 24, an Obama supporter is at odds with her McCain-backing parents.

Chavez, a Miami native, lives in Kendall with her Nicaraguan parents. Her father, a former Obama supporter, recently drifted to the right, believing Obama's policies to be veering left. As the lone Obama supporter among McCain backers, Chavez stays away from dinner table debates.

"It gets way too heated. We can never have a civil conversation on the election," said Chavez.

Chavez, a registered Independent, researched candidates. She believes Obama truly stands for change and stands firmly by her decision.

"They never give me a good reason to vote for McCain. They only give me reasons not to vote for Obama," she said.

Leilani Laureano

What If You Run and Nobody Knows?

A candidate will probably figure he's in trouble if voters at the polls have never heard his name. That seems to be the situation in which Dean Santoro finds himself.

The first-time candidate for the Florida Senate is running in District 35, which runs up eastern Miami-Dade into southern Broward counties. In Coral Gables and downtown Miami, voters seemed oblivious to his existence.

Santoro did not seem surprised, saying in a telephone interview that he ran an "underground campaign with a "very limited budget."

Lorena Estrada

Lamberti Votes for…Lamberti

Sheriff Al Lamberti showed up hand-in-hand with his wife Holly to cast his vote at 10:15 a.m. in St. Vincent's. Lamberti is up for reelection Tuesday, with many seeing him as an innovative, cerebral commander. Colleagues say he has a natural management style that helped him become chief of three districts during his 31-year career.

After casting his ballot, the sheriff walked out of his polling place and was greeted by supporters.

"It's very, very strange voting for yourself. It's the only time I've ever voted for myself other than for president of the Margate Baseball League", he said with a smile.

In September 2007, Lamberti replaced former Sheriff Ken Jenne, who was convicted on federal charges of income tax evasion and mail fraud. Lamberti became the first Broward sheriff in 93 years to rise through the ranks. His opponent, 52-year-old former North Bay Village Police Chief Scott Israel, has been described as a tough street cop who was the head of Fort Lauderdale's SWAT team.

Lamberti was optimistic Tuesday.

"The lines are going to be long, so who knows what time we'll get done but were going to go out and talk to some people, visit a few precincts and then we'll be at home tonight waiting," he said.

Vanessa Ruiz

Just Scraping By

David, his wife and family showed up at St. Vincent Catholic Church in Margate at 10:15 a.m. on Election Day, determined to participate in what they consider to be a historic day in politics.

"Change is important and necessary right now. I don't care about the color of the skin."

David, who's from Kuwait, came to the United States 13 years ago, and like many, looked for a better life. Through time and hard work, he managed to follow the American dream and open his own business. But the dream has turned sour and his family is just scraping by.

David didn't want to give his last name for fear of retribution from his Jewish neighbors and customers. As an Arab-Muslim, he said he knows his views on many things varied greatly from most.

"Many of my neighbors are voting for McCain simply because Obama has Hussein in his name or because they believe he won't be pro-Israel", he said.

David, who owns Hamilton Auto Repair in Margate, said he's had to forgo his own salary just to pay his three employees. He's one month behind on his shop's water bill and his home mortgage payment. He feels his family is the perfect example of what's happening to many others in the middle class.

His concern, he said, is that the right man for the job wins. He longs to return to his native country, but his wife and children call the United States home. How much longer can he endure these tough economic times? As long as he's able to, he said.

Vanessa Ruiz

Drill for Oil!

Tony Restaino, 72 and retired, sat at the entrance of Walnut Creek Park in Pembroke Pines with "Use Common Sense" and "Drill for Oil" signs made out of blue Scotch tape.

Restaino, a Republican, said that Obama is promising too many things that he won't be able to accomplish.

"If it sounds like it can't be done, than it probably can't be done," Restaino said.

Restaino said if Obama is elected with along with a Democratic Congress, the government would be too liberal. In addition, three Supreme Court judges are retiring and Obama will most likely appoint liberals.

"Votes have consequences and the younger generation is the one that is going to be affected," Restaino said.

Dolores, a Republican, is skeptical that Sen. John McCain will win the election.

"The election is very close and Obama will probably win but I came to show my support for McCain," she said.

Dainelys Martinez

New Citizen Makes a Difference

Guilhermo Colaferri, 37, resides in Pembroke Pines, but was born in Brazil. He became a U.S. citizen two years ago and voted for the first time Tuesday.

"I am excited to vote because I get to make a difference in this country for the first time," Colaferri said. "Although I'm not really passionate about either one of the candidates, I think it's important for me to make the best choice."

As a Democrat, Colaferri, considers Obama to be the best option to help the country get out of the economic crisis. He voted for Obama because he considers him young and intelligent.

"I don't know much about politics," Colaferri said, "but I don't like the way Republicans have governed for the past eight years."

Maria Trueba

With Cell Phone Welded to Ear

Miami native Juan Diaz has always been interested in politics but never worked on a campaign until he became volunteer coordinator for state Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart's campaign. Diaz, 25, received a call from a friend asking to work for the Republican incumbent legislator's campaign and he accepted.

"This is the most important election in history and I could not pass up an opportunity to be a part of this historical election," Diaz said.

Diaz's ear was welded to his cell phone Tuesday morning as he told volunteers where to go and how many signs to take. He is in charge of 150 volunteers at 62 different precincts. Diaz, an insurance agent, took the day off from work to be at the Diaz-Balart headquarters in Kendall.

He said he has received a lot of positive feedback from volunteers at the polls and he is optimistic about the outcome.

"Mario Diaz-Balart has done a lot for the Hispanic community, but not only the Hispanic community. The FIU law school is there because of him. I believe he will win."

Leilani Laureano

Sheriff Candidate Scott Israel Inspires Cop Career

A few months ago 23-year-old Yamil Martinez did not trust police officers. Today he aspires to become an officer and asking voters to help elect Scott Israel for Broward County Sheriff.

Wearing a bright yellow t-shirt that read "Scott Israel for Sheriff," Martinez, a student at Nova Southeastern University, passed out flyers about Israel's record,hoping he could convince voters Israel is the man for the job.

Martinez would have never imagined being in this position until a friend asked him to help him campaign for Israel a couple of months ago.

"I've been very critical of cops in general my whole life. I never would have thought I'd be doing this, "said Martinez, who is Puerto Rican and feels many cops tend to be discriminatory towards Hispanics and African Americans.

"He's trying to make BSO more diverse," Martinez said about Israel. "This election theme is "change" and Scott Israel is trying to change BSO, by putting new programs where officers can volunteer in the community."

Martinez was inspired to become a Broward Sheriff's Office cop after learning about Israel's accomplishments and involvement in the community. He hopes Israel will be his sheriff when he applies to become an officer.

"He's a man of the people," Martinez said.

Joelle Parra

RFK and Now Obama

Dr. Jack Parker, a professor at Florida International University, finished phone banking for Senator Barack Obama at 9:30 p.m. Monday night, and early this morning he was at Crossings Country Club continuing his volunteer campaigning.

With an FIU cap and a Hawaiian shirt layered over his Obama 08' tee, Parker said that on Halloween night his lawn signs supporting Obama and Biden were stolen from his corner lot and run over.

The next day, after sending out an e-mail to his neighborhood association and friends, the signs were found on another resident's lawn. "I knew they were mine because they were all bent and tire marked."

Parker put his signs back up that Saturday afternoon and removed a handful more from his trunk to pitch on the grass across from the Crossings Country Club.

"I'm a college advisor and democratic leader at FIU," he continued, "and I campaigned for Robert Kennedy in 1968. The progress is remarkable."

Catherine Thomas

30 Years Without Voting – Until Now

Kurt Fenno doesn't remember the last time he set foot near a polling place, but he knows it has been at least 30 years.

Fenno, 56, a self-employed painter, hadn't felt the urge to vote in a long time, but he had become disenchanted with the war in Iraq, so he left his Pembroke Pines home early in the morning Tuesday and waited in line to cast his vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

"He won me out," Fenno. "He's the one I like, because he's against the war."

Fenno saw the amount of young people who registered this year and decided to re-register. He was happy about the outpouring of support younger voters showed for the Illinois Senator.

"I feel good about it," he said, "I feel all the kids registered Democrat."

Fenno said he's confident Senator Obama will win the presidency, so much so that he has put out a few bets.

"I have a couple of bets he'll win by a landslide, not for money, just friendly bets," he said.

Joelle Parra

The Long Wait That Wasn’t

Voters in precinct V070 in at the Anne Kolb Center in Hollywood came prepared for the long haul that was not. The wait was 45 minutes tops.

Two voters came via bicycle and waited in line with their bikes in hand. Other voters came with their children, some in strollers.

Voters came equipped with books, magazines, cell phones, iPods and armchairs.

Mary Shea, 82, said that back in the day, when she first voted , she'd enter a booth and flip a lever to cast her ballot. She said her father owned a pig farm in Albany, New York, and that he needed to vote Democrat because they were the ones who picked up the trash.

Concetta D' Elena, 54 and a teacher, talked about meeting three presidents: John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. Carter she met at the American Stock Exchange, where she worked on the floor. She met Ford on a golf course.

Gabriel Garcia

First Time Voter and Worth It

It was the first time Stephanie Debedout, 19, voted in a general election. A student at Florida International University, she was most concerned with the presidential nominees and Amendment 2.

Debedout, who already decided to vote no on Amendment 2, left her polling place at the Crossings Country Club disturbed by the actual text found on her ballot.

The Florida Marriage Protection Amendment states: "This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

"It was the wording that really bothered me, it was harsh. 'Only one man and one woman,' it shouldn't be that way; it shouldn't matter," said Debedout.

After arriving to her polling location at 7:20 a.m. and waiting two hours, she said, "Yeah, I'm definitely going to be late to class, but this was worth it."

Catherine Thomas

Who We Are

Writers

Briton Alonso is a 22-year-old senior majoring in print journalism. She was born in Miami, but lived in Los Angeles and Nashville, Tenn., for eight years before returning to Florida in 2004. She works as a server at Houston's Restaurant in Aventura, but hopes to join The Miami Herald as an intern in the spring. She also writes for her college newspaper, The Beacon. Her long term goals include working for The New York Times or a major news broadcasting company. She lives in Aventura with her boyfriend Joseph and two adorable cats.

Jennifer Alfonso, 21, is a Miami native studying broadcasting. Alfonso has been a Miami Heat Dancer for four years and loves the rush of dancing in front of thousands of fans. She wants to be sports broadcaster and admires reporters Pam Oliver and Michelle Tafoya. She recently completed an internship at NBC6 where she experienced what it takes to work around the clock and interview athletes. She will soon start an internship with the radio station Power 96.

Cristina Alor is a 22-year old journalism major who hopes to become a broadcast reporter. Alor was born in Hollywood and lives in Hallandale Beach. She occasionally helps run the broadcasting boards for Clear Channel radio stations such as Mega 94.9 and promotes local events for the entertainment company On the Cut Inc. Now a senior, Alor hopes to start writing for the FIU newspaper and to intern at Clear Channel in the spring

Ana Cristina Alvarez, 23, was born in Miami of Cuban parents who came to the United States shortly after Fidel Castro took power. Unsure whether she wants to work in broadcast or print journalism, she studys both. Ana has already had a successful career as an up-and-coming Latina singer, releasing her first record on Sony Discos when she was 15. She's sung at the White House and appeared on Univision, Telemundo, Fox, NBC, and CBS. She recently auditioned for the role of Mimi in the touring production of "Rent." She hopes to continue her somewhat contradictory careers in both journalism and entertainment.

Gustavo Alejandro Bolanos, 23, a student of print journalism who hopes to write about minority community issues for a daily newspaper. Born in Las Villas, Cuba, he came to the United States in 1989 via Panama with his parents and great-grandmother. He discovered a passion for journalism after studying the ways minorities are or are not covered in the media.

Pamela Duque is a 21-year-old print journalism student who came from Colombia six years ago with her Mom and younger brother. She is an assistant news director at FIU's newspaper, The Beacon, who enjoys writing news stories, but hopes to one day write features and profiles at a major magazine. She is a senior and lives in Coral Springs.

Christin Erazo is a print journalism major who aspires to publish her own magazine. Erazo, 21, is a native of South Florida who writes for the FIU newspaper, the Beacon. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of her favorite magazine editor, Atoosa Rubenstein, former editor of Seventeen Magazine.

Lorena Estrada, 22, is a Greek-Hispanic-American pursuing a double major in broadcast journalism and sociology, with a minor in Spanish. Fluent in English, Spanish and Greek she hopes to be a foreign correspondent, focusing on the often-ignored stories of common people and the ways class, family and power influence society. She is a Miami native.

Jenise Fernandez , a 20-year-old Miami native, knew she wanted to be a journalist since middle school, when she was chosen to be the school's news anchor. She transferred to FIU in 2007 from the University of Central Florida. She hopes to be a broadcast journalist and give voice to people's whose stories don't usually get told. In 2007, she was crowned Miss FIU and volunteers with several philanthropies.

Gabriel Garcia, 21, studies print journalism and hopes to cover news or sports for a daily newspaper. Born in Miami of Cuban parents, Garcia graduated Coral Gables Senior High School and Miami-Dade College. He is a sports fan and his favorite authors are Tom Clancy, J.

Leilani Laureano, 21, a senior who hopes to become a sport analyist for ESPN. She has worked for Bernstein & Maryanoff, LLC, as a paralegal assistant since 2006. She is a member of Golden Key International Honor Society and The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She was born and raised in Miami and lives with her mother, Ileana, her younger brother Lou- Michael and two dogs.

Christie Maimo is a 22 year old broadcast journalism student, who was born and raised in Miami. Maimo first realized her love for journalism as anchor of her school's morning announcements at Miami Palmetto Senior High School. She worked with C-SPAN as a correspondent during the 2004 presidential debate at the University of Miami.

Nelsi Maldonado, 24, is senior majoring in broadcast journalism and hopes eventually to become a news anchor. Born in New York, she spent most of her childhood in the Dominican Republic. She moved to Alabama in 1996, and to Miami a year later. She lives in Pembroke Pines with her mother, grandmother and younger brother.

Dainelys Martinez, 21, was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States in 1995. Martinez is majoring in print journalism and international relations and hopes study to international relations in graduate school. She writes news stories for FIU's newspaper, The Beacon, and blogged for the Investigative Reporters and Editors conference last summer.

Joelle Parra, hopes to become a TV journalist. Parra, 21, works as a news writer at WSVN-7. Parra was born in Madrid, Spain, and moved to Miami at age six. She lives in Pembroke Pines with her parents, Doris and Pablo; her older brother, Jesse and maternal grandmother, Martina.

Marlene Pimentel is in her last semester as a print journalism major. Upon graduation she plans to move to Rome to pursue a career in travel writing.

Vanessa Ruiz-Velasquez, 28, is completing her journalism degree after already producing, reporting and anchoring at both the Telemundo Network and WSVN, the Miami Fox affiliate where she reported daily breaking news and features. She was part of the Telemundo team that covered 9/11, the Columbia space shuttle tragedy, the beginning of the Iraqi war, the Southeast Asia tsunami, the 2004 U. S. elections, and the death of Pope John Paul II. A Miami native, she hopes to one day put her reporting skills to use covering international news in South America or Europe.

Mikiala C. Tennie, 21, is a broadcast major who doesn't care whether she works in television or radio, as long as she is able to help the people in her community. She works part-time at the First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale and is heavily involved in activities there, including the annual Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant. Mikiala lives on campus at FIU but frequently travels home to Coral Springs to spend time with her parents and two younger brothers.

Catherine Thomas, 20, graduated from New World School of the Arts with a concentration in dance; however, at the start of her sophomore year, realized she had a greater interest in journalism. Passionate about language and storytelling, Catherine plans to pursue a career in broadcast. She resides in Miami with her parents and older brother.

Monique White is senior journalism student who is minoring in marketing. Upon graduation, she plans to go to the Netherlands and pursue a career in professional softball.

Editors

Samir Ahmed, son of a Cuban mother and a Pakistani father, grew up in Miami. His love for politics and International Relations lead him to work at Market News International, a Capitol Hill wire service, where he covered Senate initiatives and foreign relations at the Pentagon. He will be attending graduate school in 2009 and plans on a career as foreign service officer with the State Department.

Charlie Grau is a 23-year-old Miami native and is editor in chief at FIU's newspaper, The Beacon. He is also an editorial assistant at the South Florida Sun Sentinel. This is the second general election Grau has participated in. After graduation, he is hoping to focus on his passion for sports by covering a professional sports team for a media outlet.

Steven Gurian, 22, is a senior studying print journalism. Born in Miami to Cuban parents, has contributed to FIU's newspaper, The Beacon, and the gamer website Gamespot. When he finishes FIU this year, he plans to attend law school and pursue a career in mediation and media law.

Roberto J. Moreno has worked for the Miami Herald and has written for several online blogs and magazines. He was born in Puerto Rico; his family moved to the U.S. when he was eight years old. Through the years he developed a passion for traveling and moved to Spain for a year to learn about life and see what others can only read about. Currently, he freelances for several technology blogs, online magazines, and writes social observation commentary for his blog, www.robfactory.blogspot.com.

Jose Pagliery, a 22-year-old senior studying print journalism and economics, is a reporter and video journalist for The Miami Herald. The Dominican-born writer interned at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution during last summer of 2008. Earlier in the year, he reported for The New York Times Student Journalism Institute in Tucson, Ariz., where he covered a controversial immigration law and the rising death rate of incoming undocumented migrants. The trilingual reporter lives in Miami and plans to become a foreign correspondent covering economic and political issues.

Nicole Rodriquez, a senior journalism student. After graduations, she plans to get her Masters in Public Relations.

Professors

Mario Diament founded the first Spanish-Language Journalism master's degree program in the US in 1994, and has trained journalists in Latin America since 1995. A native Argentinean, he is a veteran foreign correspondent and a former executive editor of one of the leading newspapers in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is one of the 40 permanent members of the National Academy of Journalism, to which he was elected in 2000. Diament is also an award-winning playwright and has had plays produced worldwide.

Neil Reisner has been a daily newspaper reporter/editor for 25 years, working at the Miami Herald and the Bergen (NJ) Record, among others. He taught journalism at Columbia and Rutgers universities and was training director for Investigative Reporters & Editors. Reisner has contributed to the New York Times, the New York Post, American Journalism Review and Columbia Journalism Review and frequently speaks at regional and national conferences. He is a member of Louisiana State University's Forum on Media Diversity. A native of Los Angeles, Reisner lives in Hollywood with his wife, two daughters, Eddie the cocker spaniel, Pebbles the ball python and several fish.

María Mercedes Vigón's professional experience includes working as a TV news director for Net Financial News, and as executive producer, line producer, financial producer and international writer for CBS Telenoticias. She also worked as a journalist with United Press International and ABC, the Spanish newspaper, in Miami and Madrid and is fluent in Spanish, French and English. A native of Spain, she launched the Journalism Master's Program with Tec de Monterrey México and trained journalists in Mexico, Nicaragua and Paraguay.