Charlie Crist will cast his ballot Thursday, invites supporters to join him

St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Charlie Crist will cast his ballot during the early voting period on Thursday in downtown St. Pete.

Crist is meeting with supporters at Mary Margaret’s Olde Irish Tavern, 29 Third St. N., on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The group will then walk together — a golf cart is available to shuttle anyone who doesn’t want to walk — to the Supervisor of Elections office at 501 First Ave. N., where early voting is underway.

Crist will cast his ballot, and supporters joining him are invited to as well. Voters who have mail ballots to return may also drop them in a secure ballot drop box there.

After voting, the group will return to Mary Margaret’s for a celebratory cheers.

“Election Day is November 3, but you don’t have to wait. Every day from now through Sunday, November 1, is Election Day in Pinellas County,” Crist said, referring to early voting, which runs through Nov. 1. “I’m going to walk down the street with my neighbors and vote, and I’d love for you to come with me. If you can’t make it Thursday, make a plan. Pick your day, pick your time, and go vote.”

Crist, in announcing his voting plans this election, reminded voters he expanded early voting across Florida in 2008, when he was Governor.

“I did that because voting should be easy for everybody. I still believe that,” he said. “St. Pete has been on pause long enough. This election is about restarting the progress that made this the city we love. It’s bigger than any one of us, and it starts with a ballot.”

Crist is challenging incumbent Mayor Ken Welch and is the clear front-runner in the race, with significant advantages in both polling and fundraising.

A recent St. Pete Polls survey showed Crist with a 21-point lead over Welch, the second poll since Crist finished first in the August Primary to show him with a lead of 20 points or more.

Meanwhile, Welch’s political operation is running dangerously low on cash. The most recent campaign finance reports show he didn’t raise a single penny to his affiliated political committee, St. Petersburg Progress, and the balance has dwindled to just over $11,000 on hand.

The situation isn’t any better for Welch’s campaign account, which raised just $4,326 in the most recent fundraising period and is left with only about $10,000.

Crist raised $81,500 to his affiliated political committee, St. Pete Shines, and another nearly $17,000 to his campaign. Crist has nearly $173,000 on hand in his campaign and, between both accounts, has nearly $400,000 available.

___

Ed. note: Michelle Todd Schorsch is the Chair of St. Pete Shines, a political committee backing Crist for St. Petersburg Mayor. Todd Schorsch is married to Peter Schorsch, the publisher of Florida Politics.