The importance of voting in Florida, often called the ultimate swing state, is clear.
Florida voters decided the national 2000 presidential election by 537 votes and have supported the winner, with 52 percent of the vote or less, in the last six general presidential elections. While statewide offices and the Florida Legislature are dominated by Republicans, the 2018 elections were decided by 0.13 percent, 10,000 of 8.2 million votes, for senator and by 0.4 percent for governor.
There is potential for many more people to vote. Roughly 24 percent of U.S. citizens who would be eligible to vote are not registered, according to Wikipedia. In Pinellas County, 66 percent of registered voters voted in the 2018 general election, and 77 percent voted in the 2016 presidential general election.
The Elections
The Florida Democratic presidential primary was held on March 17.
The primary election for Congress and state and local offices will be held on Aug. 18. The presidential general election will be on November 3 along with those offices, four proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution and two additional ballot measures. See sample ballots for these elections at ballotopedia.org/florida.
Registering
To vote in Florida you must be registered at least 29 days before an election – by July 20 for the August primary and by October 5 for the November general election. Registrations may be updated for address changes at any time.
You can apply to register online as well as check or update your registration or print out a registration form at VotePinellas.com, the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections website. The application forms, also available at many locations listed online such as libraries, include the mailing address for the Supervisor of Elections.
To be eligible to register to vote you must be at least 18 years old (or 16 to preregister to vote at 18), be a U.S. citizen and Florida resident, and not have been adjudicated mentally incapacitated or convicted of a felony without having your right to vote restored. You will need a Florida driver’s license or Florida ID card (issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles) and the last four digits of your Social Security number to apply.
Voting In Person
Your polling place is listed on your voter information card (sent to registered voters). You may also select Find Your Precinct at votepinellas.com; enter your address, and the location will be listed. Last-minute polling place changes occurred in the March presidential primary voting due to the coronavirus. The Coliseum at 535 Fourth Ave. N is the polling location for five of the approximately 13 precincts in Green Bench Monthly’s distribution area. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election days. A current ID with photo and signature such as a Florida driver license or ID card is required for a regular ballot. A provisional ballot, to be researched immediately after the election, may be completed.
Early voting must be held for at least eight days before each election. Check VotePinellas.com for locations, and hours.
Voting by Mail
Voting by mail makes up more than half of the total in Pinellas County and is highly encouraged:
• Voters who request mail ballots vote at a much higher rate than those physically going to the polls: 79 percent of those registered vs. 55 percent in the last general election in 2018.
• Voters by mail avoid standing in line for the same ballot at the polls.
To request to vote by mail, visit VotePinellas.com/MailBallot, or call (727)-464-VOTE. Requests must be received at least 10 days before the next election. Ballots will be sent to those on record at least 33 days before an election. Instructions and a return envelope are included.
The mail ballots must be received or dropped off at a Supervisor of Elections office (not at polling places) by 7 p.m. on Election Day. They also may be dropped off before Election Day at locations listed in the instructions. By signed letter, a voter may designate another person to pick up his/her mail ballot no sooner than the ninth day before an election. The designee must provide a photo ID and complete an affidavit.
Voters can check that their ballots have been received at VotePinellas.com.
Volunteer Opportunities
The League of Women Voters is active in providing voter information and helping register voters in St. Petersburg. It is nonpartisan and encourages men to join (lwvspa.org).
Call the Republican Party of Pinellas or the Democratic Party of Pinellas to find out about Get Out the Vote activities.
The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections is always looking for poll workers, a paid position (VotePinellas.org).
Note: The writer is a volunteer with the Democratic Party in St. Petersburg.
