It was a big weekend for voters in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties as they headed to the polls for the final days of early voting.
- Polling places packed Sunday
- Primary election is Tuesday, August 30
- Florida Decides Voting Guide
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer said there was a huge turn out for early voting this year. As of Sunday afternoon, more than 26,000 people voted in person and more than 76,000 mailed in their ballot.
Latimer said more people have participated in this primary than in previous years because they’ve added almost 100,000 new registered voters since 2012. He said the candidates have also been doing a good job of stressing the importance of local races.
"We have a county-wide county commission race that's going on. The county commission is one that impacts locally your taxes a lot more than the federal government does," Latimer said. "There's a lot of interest, a lot of local races here in Hillsborough County. We've got some Senate seats, some House seats that are going to be contested, there are open seats."
Join us for exclusive coverage of the primary election starting at 5 p.m. on August 30. We will be live all night bringing you up-to-the-minute election results, reaction from local and state candidates, and expert analysis from our political analysts. Our reporters will be live from around the local area and the state throughout the night. We are the only source for extended primary night coverage that gives you the results and provides perspective as to how the results affect you. Mark your calendars to watch us on TV or on the BHTV app August 30.