Early voting to open Saturday

Early voting for the 2022 general elections opens on Saturday, October 29 in Gulf County. It will run through Saturday, November 5.

Voting will take place from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. ET on between those dates.

There are two early voting sites in Gulf County — The Supervisor of Elections’ Office in Port St. Joe and the Wewahitchka Public Library.

Voting early is just like voting on election day. Early voters should remember to bring a photo and signature identification with them.

Several key races will be on the ballot this Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, including the Gulf County District 2 County Commissioner seat, the only contested Gulf County election this election cycle.

The election pits former county commissioner Billy Traylor (R — Wewahitchka) against political newcomer Michael Riley (D — Wewahitchka).

The winner of the race will be sworn into office in the weeks following the election.

Though only voters in District 2 can vote in the county commission race, several other elections will appear on the ballot.

Gulf County voters will also be able to vote in state and national midterm election races, including the seat for Florida Senate District 3, one of the state’s most-watched contests

Incumbent Sen. Loranne Ausley, a Tallahassee Democrat, is trying to fight off a challenge from Republican Corey Simon, a political newcomer who gained fame playing football for Florida State University before turning pro.

Both candidates are a known quantity in the district that includes Gulf County, Franklin County, Leon County and the surrounding rural Big Bend region, but for very different reasons.

Ausley, an attorney, served two stints in the Florida House, prior to being elected to the Senate in 2020. Her lineage includes former state lawmakers and prominent Tallahassee attorneys.

Simon was a defensive standout for FSU’s football team in the 1990s and went on to spend eight years in the NFL.

Gulf County voters will also have the opportunity to vote in the race for the offices U.S. representative for Florida’s District 2, Florida governor, Florida attorney general, Florida commissioner of agriculture, and Florida’s chief financial officer.

Gulf County Supervisor of Elections said he expects voting turnout to be larger for the general election than it was for the primary election in August.

How to vote

For election day, voters can look up which precinct they belong to on the supervisor of elections’ website.  For early voting, voters may go to the early voting location closest to them.

Those who are not yet registered to vote will not be able to vote in the election.

In order to vote at any precinct, voters must produce one of the following current and valid picture identifications:

• Florida Driver’s License
• Florida ID card issued by the Dept. of Highway safety & Motor Vehicles
• United States Passport
• Debit or Credit Card
• Military Identification
• Student Identification
• Retirement Center Identification
• Neighborhood Association Identification
• Public Assistance Identification

If the picture identification does not contain a signature, an additional identification with a signature will be required.  It is not mandatory that you bring your Voter’s Information Card with you to vote.  This card is intended only to inform you that you are a registered voter, what district races you are able to vote on, what precinct you are registered in and the location of your polling place.