Before HB 1355 was passed in 2011, early voting would have begun today in Florida, 15 days before Election Day.
But one of the controversial provisions of that controversial elections bill reduced the days of early voting, meaning the first day when registered voters can go to the polls and fill out a ballot is this coming Saturday.
However, Obama For America officials have been encouraging voters to go to Supervisor of Elections offices throughout the state to request an absentee ballot and fill it out then, which was the raison d'être behind the "Gotta Vote" bus tour that made stops throughout the Bay area on Monday.
It was also where tickets were distributed for President Obama's next appearance in the Bay area: Thursday morning at Centennial Park in Ybor City (doors to the park will open at 7 a.m.).
Present at the "Gotta Vote" bus event at Joe Chillura Courthouse Square in Tampa today were former Iowa Governor Chet Culver, model Chanel Iman and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who reflected on the fact that early voting won't begin until this Saturday.
This article appears in Oct 18-24, 2012.