By Karen Branch-Brioso
The Tampa Tribune
9:48 a.m.
West Tampa

Three generations of Johnsons just arrived at precincts 205 and 206, aka the West Tampa Convention Center. Only one generation will vote here, though.

Mildred Johnson, 71, is here to cast her ballot. She wishes she could cast a ballot against baggy pants on teenage boys in the neighborhood, she says. But, alas, that won’t be on today’s ballot. Instead, she is driven to vote by this: “Just to make things better for everybody.”

Her daughter, Rita Johnson, is helping her do that by driving her to the polls today. The mother of three – age 15, 13 and 8 – says she already voted at her precinct. She is moved by a constitutional amendment that would require more money from a tobacco lawsuit settlement to be spent on anti-smoking ads:

“I’m thinking about the kids – to keep them off cigarettes,” says Rita, 44.

The third generation will have to abstain for now. That’s Rita’s one-year-old nephew, Curtis, who was along for the ride.

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