The push to get out the vote is in full force, as vote-by-mail ballots hit local post offices on Tuesday.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, stood outside a busy West Tampa post office to point out that 207,000 vote-by-mail ballots have been sent to Hillsborough County residents.
She encouraged Floridians to vote early by mail, in part because it’s a five page ballot packed with a variety of races and amendments.
“So much is at stake; a new governor, the United States Senate, the direction of the Florida legislature and the congress,” said Castor, who is running unopposed in November for the Congressional District 14 race. “This is a lengthy, lengthy ballot and more people are going to vote by mail, the trends show.”
Joining Castor was Nancy Batista, Florida state director of Mi Familia Vota, an organization that’s registered more than 28,000 people to vote - just over half of the new voters being of Puerto Rican descent.
“If you are worried about the issues that have recently occurred in Puerto Rico, how the congressman has reacted towards everything that has happened, also in regards to the environment and just everything that is affecting us locally - now is the time, register to vote,” Batista said.
Castor said the ballot in Hillsborough County is offered in both English and Spanish.
“Many of our neighbors have relocated from Puerto Rico and will be voting in Florida for the first time and it’s important that there are no barriers to language,” she said.
