Mitch Perry
Stressing the importance of Floridians voting in the presidential election, President Obama called into Tampa local hip-hop radio station 95.7 The Beat in Tampa on Wednesday afternoon.
“Your vote matters,” he told DJ Anjali “Queen B” in a nine-minute conversation. “And if we’re going to protect and build on the progress we made in the last eight years I need everybody in the Tampa Bay area to vote. So don’t wait.”
The president referred to the fact that early voting begins in many parts of the state next Monday, Oct. 24.
Hillary Clinton will also be seizing on the start of early voting by appearing in the Sunshine State next Tuesday and Wednesday, though the times and locations of her visits have yet to be announced.
Obama also gave out website and text addresses for people to learn how to vote by mail, which has been happening in Florida for the past two weeks.
Speaking about the election and the choice of Clinton or Donald Trump, the president said, “This should not be a tough election for people who care about opportunity, equality, justice, common decency, bringing the country together.”
The president emphasized how easy it is to vote, referring to how his eldest daughter Malia voted this year in the District of Columbia and was surprised it only took 10 minutes. “Young people I think sometimes think ‘aw, this is going to be some huge hassle.'”
Obama is scheduled to campaign for Clinton in Miami Gardens on Thursday, making up for a previous appearance canceled because of concerns of an approaching Hurricane Matthew. He was also scheduled to speak about the Affordable Care Act at the University of South Florida, which he will now do at Miami-Dade College on Thursday.
