Sunday's Souls to the Polls event helps boost Dem turnout in Pinellas, Hillsborough

click to enlarge Sunday's Souls to the Polls event helps boost Dem turnout in Pinellas, Hillsborough
Kimberly DeFalco

The final group of millions who cast a ballot early went to the polls on Sunday in cities across the state.

To help boost turnout in areas with large minority populations, Democrat-leaning groups held their Souls to the Polls events, which aims to get churchgoers to early voting sites on the Sunday before Election Day.

With polls suggesting Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are neck and neck, Democrats are working tirelessly to inspire enthusiasm among minorities and other likely Democratic groups, and as of Monday morning appear optimistic that they just might be pulling off a Clinton win.

click to enlarge St. Pete's Mohammad Uddin and his son Sadman Sakin Uddin, 10, were posing for their cousin after voting at the Gulfport Community Center. It was the second time Uddin has voted. - Kimberly DeFalco
Kimberly DeFalco
St. Pete's Mohammad Uddin and his son Sadman Sakin Uddin, 10, were posing for their cousin after voting at the Gulfport Community Center. It was the second time Uddin has voted.

The contrast between the two presidential candidates may be helping.

"There is so much at stake here,"said St. Pete resident Mohammed  Uddin, who was voting for the second time in his life. "I'm proud to be voting."

Lines were long at early voting sites on both sides of the bay.

As voters waited, candidates like former Governor Charlie Crist, a Democrat running to represent Florida's 13th Congressional District, campaigned.

click to enlarge Charlie Crist talks with young voters outside the Gulfport Community Center. - Kimberly DeFalco
Kimberly DeFalco
Charlie Crist talks with young voters outside the Gulfport Community Center.

Charlie Crist chats with voters exiting the Gulfport Community Center after voting.

A Congressman from Texas even flew in to help campaign for Clinton.

click to enlarge Fight for 15's Kofi Hunt, one of the organizers of St. Petersburg's Souls to the Polls Block Party, chats with Texas Congressman (Dist. 33) Marc Veasey who flew in from Fort Worth to help with voting. - Kimberly DeFalco
Kimberly DeFalco
Fight for 15's Kofi Hunt, one of the organizers of St. Petersburg's Souls to the Polls Block Party, chats with Texas Congressman (Dist. 33) Marc Veasey who flew in from Fort Worth to help with voting.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn also chatted with voters.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8., and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

click to enlarge Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn made the rounds at C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library, where hundreds of voters stood in line for over an hours waiting to vote, before heading to the West Tampa Library. - Kimberly DeFalco
Kimberly DeFalco
Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn made the rounds at C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library, where hundreds of voters stood in line for over an hours waiting to vote, before heading to the West Tampa Library.

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