‘Souls to the Polls’ in St. Pete Saturday

A Sunday-before-Election-Day tradition.

A statewide non-partisan group working to mobilize Black voters is focusing on Pinellas County Saturday.

The Equal Ground Education Fund is hosting a vote-by-mail drop-off event Saturday from noon until 5 p.m. at Bethel Community Church, located at 2901 54th Ave. South in St. Petersburg.

Attendees can drop their mail ballots off and hear from a slate of speakers including Bishops Manuel Sykes and Doral Pulley. Other speakers will include community leaders, gospel choirs, elected officials and political candidates.

The group did not announced a full roster of speakers.

The event is part of The Equal Ground Education Fund’s 25-county “Souls to the Polls” effort, which has become a staple in elections for the Black community in recent years.

Voter turnout in Pinellas County is already at more than 40% as of Friday at 2:40 p.m. Of the county’s 711,462 eligible voters, 285,427 have already cast a ballot. Most have been mail ballots, 248,700, while 36,727 voters have cast a ballot at an early voting location.

Like the statewide trend, Democrats are so far leading in voter turnout, though Republican voters are expected to bridge that gap as early voting continues and on election day. So far 124,824 Democrats have returned a ballot while 98,453 Republicans have already voted. No party affiliated voters make up 58,701 ballots cast so far and third party voters 3,446.

Early voting is available at five locations across the county from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily. Those locations include:

— SPC Allstate Center – 3200 34th St. S, St. Petersburg, 33733

— Supervisor of Elections Office – County Courthouse – 315 Court St., Room 117, Clearwater, 33756

(voter parking spots will be designated in courthouse parking lots)

 — Supervisor of Elections Office – Election Service Center – 13001 Starkey Rd., Starkey Lakes Corporate Center, Largo, 33773

— Supervisor of Elections Office – County Building – 501 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 33701

— The Centre of Palm Harbor – 1500 16th St., Palm Harbor 34683

Mail ballots can be dropped off at any of the three Supervisor of Elections offices. Drive-thru drop off locations include:

— Centre of Palm Harbor: 1500 16th St., Palm Harbor; M-Sun, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

— EpiCenter at St. Petersburg College: 13805 58th St. N., Clearwater; M-F 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

— Gulfport Neighborhood Center: 1617 49th St. S., Gulfport; M-F, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

— Tropicana Field: 1 Tropicana Drive, St. Pete; M-S, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Walk-up drop-off locations include:

— Barbara S. Ponce Public Library: 7770 52nd St., Pinellas Park; M-Sat, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

— Clearwater Countryside Library: 2642 Sabal Springs Dr., Clearwater; M-Th, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; F-Sat, noon-5 p.m.

— Dunedin Library: 223 Douglas Ave., Dunedin; M-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

— East Lake Community Library: 4125 East Lake Rd., Palm Harbor; M-Sat, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

— Gulf to Bay Tax Collector Office: 1663 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Clearwater; M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

— James Weldon Johnson Branch Library: 1059 18th Ave. S., St. Pete; M-F, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat, noon-4 p.m.

— Largo Public Library: 120 Central Park Dr., Largo; M-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

— North Community Library: 861 70th Ave. N., St. Pete; M-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

— North County Tax Collector Office: 29399 U.S. Hwy. 19 N., Clearwater; M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

— Oldsmar Public Library: 400 St. Petersburg Dr. E., Oldsmar; M-Sat, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

— Safety Harbor Public Library: 101 2nd St. N., Safety Harbor; M-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

— Seminole Community Library: 9200 113th St., Seminole; M-F, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

— Skyway Plaza Tax Collector Office: 1067 62nd Ave. S., St. Pete; M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

— SPC Allstate Center: 3200 34th St. S., St. Pete; M-Sun, 7 a.m.-7p.m.; Mon 11/2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

— St. Pete Beach Public Library: 7470 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach; M-F, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

— St. Petersburg Main Library: 3745 9th Ave. N., St. Pete; M-Sat, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

— Tarpon Springs Public Library: 138 E. Lemon St., Tarpon Springs; M-F, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

— Walter Fuller Recreation Center: 7891 26th Ave. N., St. Pete; M-F, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Ballots cannot be dropped off on election day.