Dozens of candidates are vying for seats in congressional, legislative, school board and other races Tuesday, and perhaps dozens of people will make it out to the polls.
It's kind of important, given that so many races will basically be decided in the primary (cough, gerrymanderingisstillrampant). Find a rundown of key Tampa Bay area primaries here.
For those who haven't voted early or by mail, polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (find your precinct here if you live in Hillsborough and here if you live in Pinellas).
Early and mail voting numbers have surpassed those of previous primaries, with 1.2 million people casting a ballot by mail and over 538,000 voters voting early, Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner said in a call to reporters Tuesday morning.
"I believe high turnout compared to the previous primary elections will continue throughout the end of today's poll closing," he said. "I think it's evident that voters are excited about the elections process, they're tuned in and the supervisors have made combinations for all the voters that want to vote, they've made it convenient to vote today,"
So far, there have been a few small issues at polling places, he said (if you don't count, you know, statewide voter suppression leading up to Election Day), including a couple of delays in opening some polling places in Flagler and Lee counties, minor issues with electric poll books and one polling place on Miami Beach that was moved due to mosquito spraying. It was moved from the botanical gardens to city hall, which is a block away.
"Voters are only minorly inconvenienced there," Detzner said.
As with any election night, many candidates are inviting supporters to come party with them at area establishments, where they'll be hanging out, watching the returns come in via Bay News 9 and a staffer sitting in a corner with a laptop, constantly refreshing the Supervisor of Elections website.
Here are some:
-Democratic State Senate District 19 candidate (and current State House District 63 Rep.) Ed Narain is hosting his watch party at Tampa Heights Community Center at 2005 N. Lamar Ave. (RSVP at events@edforflorida.com or 813/336-1913.)
-Augie Ribeiro, another Dem in the race, is having his at Three Birds Tavern at 1492 4th St. N. in St. Pete starting at seven.
-House District 68 Democratic primary candidate Ben DIamond will be at 400 Beach Seafood and Taphouse at 400 Beach Dr. N. in St. Pete from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
-His opponent, Eric Lynn, will be just a few blocks over at Reno Downtown, 27 4th St. N. in St. Pete, from 7-10 p.m.
-Democratic House District 70 candidate Dan Fiorini will have his at Enigma at 1110 Central Ave. in St. Pete from 6:30-8 p.m.
-Republican H.D. 60 candidate Jackie Toledo is hosting hers at 7 p.m. at Piquant, 1633 W Snow Ave. in Tampa.
-Democratic Hillsborough County Dist. 6 candidate Pat Kemp's party will be at Bad Monkey Bar in Ybor (1717 7th Ave,) at 7 p.m.
-Brian Willis, another of the four candidates in that primary, will have his watch party at Anise Global Gastrobar at 777 N Ashley Dr. in Tampa (starting at 6 p.m.).
This article appears in Aug 25 – Sep 1, 2016.