ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. \u2014\u00a0It\u2019s almost time to get ready to head to the polls.<\/p>\n
Early voting for this year\u2019s primary elections begins tomorrow for all counties except for Hillsborough. Plenty of residents will be casting their ballots early so that their votes get in.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, final preparations are being made at the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections\u2019 office. Staff say they are truly in the thick of it. Mail ballots went out a couple of weeks ago in Pinellas County, with 50,000 thousand of those ballots already returned. Attention now is turning to early voting.<\/p>\n
Voters will receive one of three ballots depending on whether or not they are affiliated with a party. There is a ballot for Republican, Democratic, or nonpartisan voters. But those three ballots all have a few things in common. Candidates for the City of St. Petersburg mayoral race, circuit judge and school board races will be the same.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlorida provides for so many opportunities to cats a ballot in the election, which is great because if you want to vote in the comfort of your home, you have that option,”\u00a0says Julie Marcus, Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. “Then having multiple days spanned out for early voting allows for some flexibility and convenience that you may not necessarily get on Election Day, where it is one day and it\u2019s from 7 to 7.\u201d<\/p>\n
Staff say they have sent out more than 190,000 mail-in ballots. The deadline to request those mail ballots has already passed, but those voting by mail need to return their ballots. They can do so either by mail, or you can drop it off at a ballot drop-off location.<\/p>\n
Those behind-the-scenes say they are already seeing an uptick in ballot requests than in year\u2019s past.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love looking back at the data and seeing how we\u2019re always comparing to past elections,” said Marcus. “I would say we\u2019re about in line with past election turnout, but we can always do better. So as voters get out and vote, whether you choose to vote by mail at an early voting site or at your polling place on Election Day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those who intend on voting should certainly check their voter registration ahead of time. Voters will need to bring a photo ID with them. That can be your driver\u2019s license, a passport, military ID or student ID.<\/p>\n
In Pinellas County, there are three early voting locations all at the Supervisor of Elections Offices<\/a>. Locations include 13001 Starkey Road in Largo, 501 First Ave. North in St. Pete and at 315 Court Street in Clearwater.<\/p>\n Offices will be open from 8 until 5 on Saturday and Sunday, 8 to 6 on Monday thru Friday. Early voting begins this Saturday and runs until August 16.<\/p>\n