Last weekend of early voting
Briona Arradondo reports
TAMPA, Fla. – With only a few days to go until the 2024 general electionearly voting time is running out as hundreds of thousands of Florida residents cast ballots in the Tampa Bay area.
This weekend is the last weekend for early voting, and the lines at the precinct show the final call. Some voters in Tampa said they waited 25 to 45 minutes to cast their ballots. Others at the Jan Platt Library polling place in Tampa decided to try again later.
“I just play it by ear and try to find the time. But if I have to wait for Election Day, you gotta do what you gotta do. So I always try to participate,” Tampa said. voter Parker Beladino.
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The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections reports that at least 436,000 people have voted by mail or in person so far as of Friday evening. That’s just over 50% turnout, and Pinellas County expects the same.
“Voters are just showing that they want their voices to be heard,” said Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus.
Political candidates like Ashley Brundage have been going door to door in recent days. She is running as a Democrat for a Hillsborough County seat in the House of Representatives for District 65.
“Every moment is an opportunity to reach voters,” Brundage said. “The people I’m talking to are all in the undecided universe. They’re people who are non-party members, independent, libertarian, and I’m knocking on some Republicans as well.”
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Her opponent and incumbent candidate, Republican candidate Karen Gonzalez Pittman, is running for re-election in District 65 and is spending her day outside the Platt Library polling place in Tampa.
“Today I came up with a strategy for Election Day,” Gonzalez Pittman said. “People are excited about voting in this election. One thing that really stands out to me this time is that they are excited. They are excited and coming out.”
The hurricanes didn’t stop the process, but hard-hit Pinellas County had to turn around.
“Thank God we were able to have our seven early voting locations, so they were the same. But on Election Day there will be changes in polling places,” Marcus said.
Sarasota and Manatee counties also made some changes to polling locations for Election Day on Tuesday due to the recent storms. So be sure to check your local supervisor of elections website for any changes.
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“If you have any questions about address changes because you may have been displaced because your home has been damaged, please give us a call,” Marcus said.
Early voting ends on Saturday or Sunday, depending on which county you live in in the Tampa Bay area.
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