TAMPA, Fla. — In-person early voting for the Nov. 3 general election is now open across Hillsborough County, giving Tampa residents two weeks to cast a ballot before Election Day at any of 27 locations in the county.
Polls opened Monday at 7 a.m. Every site keeps the same 12-hour day, opening at 7 in the morning and closing at 7 in the evening, and the early window ends Nov. 1. Unlike Election Day, voters are not tied to an assigned precinct during early voting and can go to whichever early site is most convenient.
Anyone heading to the polls needs to bring accepted identification that shows both a photo and a signature. A voter who cannot show ID can still cast a provisional ballot, and election officials then decide whether it counts. Early sites are spread across libraries, recreation centers and elections offices in communities such as Ruskin, Riverview, Plant City, Temple Terrace and Tampa itself.
Mail voters have options too. Each early voting location has a secure station inside for dropping off a completed mail ballot. Requests for a ballot by mail must be in by Thursday, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m. Filled-out mail ballots must be in the hands of county election staff by poll closing on Nov. 3, and a postmark by that time is not enough to count.
County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer said that by law, mail ballots can be tabulated ahead of time once the public logic and accuracy test is complete, which is why first results are expected to come out soon after polls close on election night. Between six and seven of every 10 votes in the county are expected to come in before Nov. 3, according to election officials.
The ballot includes the race for governor, a U.S. Senate seat and Amendment 3, among other contests. Official turnout figures and wait times by location had not been released as early voting got started.
Section: More Tampa FL politics news
Filed under: Tampa FL Politics News
