Polls Open For Early Voting In Florida Presidential Primary

WUSF | By Bobbie O'Brien

Published February 29, 2016 at 5:45 AM EST

The polls open today in Florida for the Presidential Preference Primary as early voting begins in some counties.

Hillsborough County is opening 15 sites and Polk County has nine locations available for the next two weeks.

Craig Latimer, Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections, added that registered voters also can order a vote-by-mail ballot until March 9, 2016.

“By the time we mail it to them, I don’t think there’s going to be time for them to mail it back to us. So, we’re going to be urging people that receive a mail-in ballot late like that that they drop it at one of the 15 Early Vote sites during early voting or at any of our four offices,”

Mail-in ballots are already pouring into his office. As of early morning Feb. 29, more than 100,000 mail-in ballots had been sent out and more than one-third have already been returned.

“Election Day, March 15, is not the first day to vote, it’s the last day to vote,” Latimer said.” And if you wait until the last date to vote I hope that you don’t have any problems getting your car started, don’t have a flat tire, nobody’s sick. Anything to prohibit you from getting out to vote.”

But only Republicans and Democrats can vote because Florida’s primary elections are restricted to only party members.

Links to early voting in the Tampa Bay Area:.

Hernando County early voting starts Saturday, March 4, 2016, at four sites.
Hillsborough County early voting begins Monday, February 29, 2016, at 15 libraries and centers.
Manatee County early voting begins Sunday, March 5, 2016, at five sites.
Pasco County early voting opens Sunday, March 5, 2016, at eight locations.
Pinellas County early voting starts Sunday, March 5, 2016 at three election offices where you can check wait times.
Polk County early voting starts Monday, February 29, 2016 at nine locations.
Sarasota County early voting begins Sunday, March 5, at the three elections offices.