Kelly Hayes
The deadline for voters to request a mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3 General Election is Saturday by 5 p.m.
To date, 357,314 ballots have been cast in Hillsborough County, and 297,244 ballots have been cast in Pinellas County.
Hillsborough County has seen a 38% turnout rate. Of the ballots cast, 246,156, or 69%, have been mail-ins. The remainder, 111,158, or 31%, have been cast through early voting.
Neighboring Pinellas County has reported a 42% turnout rate, with mail-in ballots dominating voting so far — 86% of ballots, or 256,782 ballots, have been cast via vote by mail. Only 14% of the turnout, including 40,462 ballots, comes from early voting.
Democrats have maintained the lead in early turnout, casting 43% of ballots in Pinellas and 46% in Hillsborough.
Republicans trail in both counties — 35% of the turnout in Pinellas and 32% in Hillsborough.
Third party and non-affiliated voters account for the smallest percentage of ballots cast so far, making up 22% of ballots in Pinellas and Hillsborough.
Mail ballots must be received at one of the Supervisor of Elections Offices by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Voters are advised to allow at least one week for their ballots to be returned by mail.
In Pinellas, voters can drop off their mail ballots at one of the three Supervisor of Elections Offices, or at one of 25 remote ballot drop-off sites throughout the county through Nov. 2. Early voting is open at five sites.
In Hillsborough, mail-in ballots can be dropped off at one of 26 early voting sites, which are open for in-person voting and drop off.
Mail ballots cannot be accepted at polling places on Election Day, though voters must turn them in to an election worker and vote their ballot in person.
Early voting in both counties started Monday and runs through Nov. 1 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Voters can cast a ballot at any early voting site, a contrast to Election Day when they must vote from their designated precinct.
