Nudists Want To Vote Naked

Reprinted From MyFoxTampaBay 10-31-2008

by PETER LINTON-SMITH - FOX 13 NEWS

Pasco resort requests its own polling place

Created: Friday, 31 Oct 2008, 3:11 PM EDT

LAND O' LAKES - The largest nudist resort in the country sits behind large privacy walls.  Once inside Caliente Resorts and Spa, "...they take off their clothes and the only time they put their clothes back on is to go the grocery store.  You can do just about anything at Caliente you want," explained the resort's spokeswoman.

As Election Day rapidly approaches, there is one thing people who live clothing-free realize they can't do in the buff -- vote. 
Now Caliente has asked the Pasco County supervisor of elections to establish a polling place at the resort.

Elections supervisor Brian Corley hasn't ruled out the request but adds a new polling place is established "on need and population."

There are more than 350 potential voters who live at the nudist resort full time.  Another 200 people work there, many of whom also work with little or no clothing.

However, "there is no magic number of people," required to create a new precinct, according to Corley. Right now, Caliente residents vote in Pasco County precinct 70, which is less than two miles away.

Corley said the nude polling place request wouldn't be considered until 2010 at the earliest.  He added that the full county commission must approve adding or changing precinct locations.

One commissioner suggests that if nudists prefer voting with no clothes, they can vote absentee.  But nudists claim voting and their lifestyle share one thing.

"It's about freedom.  People take their civic duty seriously and in many cases [nudism] is a very serious part of their lifestyle."