Hey we have a election coming up soon!
The Florida Primary will be held Tuesday, August 30th, which is not very far away. No, we won’t be selecting presidential nominees at this time (which was held back on March 15th). Instead, we will be voting for U.S. Senate candidates for both the Republican and Democratic parties. There will also be several races for Congress, the State Legislature, and many local races, such as property appraiser, tax assessor, school board, and many more.
I’m always surprised by the apathy of voters during these pirmaries, as they do not think it is worthy of their time. Local elections have a great deal of impact on all of us. I have always been of the opinion you, as a citizen, should not be allowed to complain unless you vote, the one fundamental exercise we are charged to perform. It is our civic responsibility in the running of our government, something I certainly do not take for granted.
Fortunately, the State of Florida has made it as simple as possible to vote, either on election day (August 30th), absentee ballot (mail), or EARLY VOTING which runs from Saturday to Saturday, August 20th-27th. In Pinellas County, early voting is open: Monday–Friday10:00am-6:00pm, Saturday–Sunday 9:00am-5:00pm. In Hillsborough County, it is 10am-6pm. To avoid delays, please bring one or two forms of identification that includes your signature and photo.
Of course, for any form of voting, you need to be registered with the State Board of Elections, under the Secretary of State. If you are looking to change parties, as more than 4,000 Democrats have done, I’m afraid you are a couple days late as this opportunity closed August 1st.
To register to vote, or change your address or party affiliation, click HERE for the state’s web sites which provides links to download forms and can answer your questions about voting in Florida.
For a listing of all candidates running in Florida, click HERE.
See you August 30th. Don’t be late. No excuses!
Keep the Faith!
