Plus, a local FEMA official's plea.
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86º | 10% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 7:34 a.m. | Sunset 6:54 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | Low: 12:47 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 4:37 p.m. | Low: 9:22 a.m. + 7:47 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

Democracy in action 🇺🇲
A banner reads "Voting is Cool" with the Stars and Stripes emblazoned behind. "We the People" is in the bottom left of the banner, with the Hillsborough County logo.
Yes it is. | Photo by TBAYtoday
In case you’ve had your head buried in the sand, election season is upon us.

We’re not here to tell you who or what to vote for, but instead, we want to help you through the voting process itself.

Want to see the ballot before you head to the polls? Both Hillsborough County and Pinellas County have sample ballots available ahead of the big decisions.

If you want to vote early


Early voting starts today in both counties.

Registered voters in Hillsborough County have until Sunday, Nov. 3 to cast an early in-person vote at any of the 27 polling stations open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Remember to bring one or two forms of ID which contain a photo and a signature, like a driver’s license or passport.

The same goes for Pinellas County’s seven early voting stations, also open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pinellas’ early voters can vote early right up to election day on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

If you want a mail-in ballot, the deadline in Hillsborough County and Pinellas County is Friday, Oct. 24.
A white ballot box. Writing reads "VOTE" on it with a US flag image surrounding the words. A person votes in the background, obscured by the box facing us.

Now’s the time to make a voting plan.

Photo via WTSP

If you want to vote on Election Day


Voting on Election Day itself has different restrictions. The main difference? You must vote at the polling place assigned to your precinct. If you don’t, your vote won’t count. There are resources for Hillsborough County voters to find their polling place, and the same goes for those on the other side of the Bay in Pinellas County.

Heads up: Some voting locations have changed in Pinellas County due to storm damage. Our friends at 10 Tampa Bay rounded up the info.

If you’re in line by 7 p.m. in either county, the law says you are allowed to vote. Arriving after this time will see you turned away.

Any questions about how to vote? Ask away, and we’ll try to answer.
What about the amendments?

Events

Monday, Oct. 21

  • Cabernet Sauvignon: Five Ways | Monday, Oct. 21 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Thrive DTSP, St. Petersburg | $49 | Wine enthusiasts can learn about this noble grape variety and sip a few glasses along the way.
  • Aerobics Mondays | Monday, Oct. 21 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Midtown Tampa | Free | Get your week started with a full-body workout to counter those Monday blues.
Tuesday, Oct. 22

Wednesday, Oct. 23

  • Haunted Historic Boat Tour | Wednesday, Oct. 23 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center Eco-Tour dock, St. Petersburg | $40+ | Hop aboard for the Halloween edition of this monthly tour, with a look at the creepiest parts of the Burg’s waterfront history.
  • Eddie Izzard: “The Remix: The First 35 Years” | Wednesday, Oct. 23 | 8 p.m. | The Straz Center for the Performing Arts | $47+ | Laugh at decades of comedic hits as the storied British comedian + actor graces the Tampa stage.
Calendar events here
Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Quoted
  • “Come in, talk to us, get the truth from us, and what we can provide for you,” said Peter Fraenkel, FEMA’s disaster recovery center manager in Sarasota. Fraenkel says that visiting a FEMA center can help provide more insight into the aid process. There are several in our area. (WUSF)
Environment
  • Scientists are monitoring an algae outbreak in the Gulf of Mexico, a common occurrence after big storms. The concern? Red tide. While the nature of the outbreak is not yet known, experts are taking samples to determine any risk to beachgoers and wildlife. (WFLA)
Number
  • $2 million. That’s how much the Glazer family will donate to help victims of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. After the second storm hit, the Bucs owners doubled their initial pledge, and will give the money to local nonprofits.
Sports
  • Load the cannons. The Bucs are preparing for an epic Monday Night Football showdown tonight. The Baltimore Ravens are one of the best teams in the NFL, and will be at Ray Jay tonight to face emerging MVP candidate Baker Mayfield and company. Tickets are still available.
Watch
  • Footage of Milton’s damage continues to emerge from around the Tampa Bay area. Anna Maria Island was hit hard, and the Rod Reel Pier was still recovering from Helene at the time of Milton’s landfall. As a result, the entire building and pier are no more. (WFLA)
Open
  • Electric bikes and scooters are hard to miss in downtown Tampa. There may be more around town soon when EMOTO Supply Co. opens a store in Water Street. The brand already has a St. Pete location, where its electric bike and premium apparel flies off the shelves. (That’s So Tampa)
Gallery
  • Did you see the full supermoon last week? Local photographer Matthew Paulson took some incredible shots of the moon rising over the St. Pete Pier.
Listen
  • Can the Bolts build on their strong start to the season? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Lightning with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Eat
  • Get $20 to spend at The Living Room + more great perks when you sign up for Offline, our city’s restaurant discovery club. Try your first month free with code OFFLINE6AM.*
Tech
  • Scammers’ tactics are increasingly sophisticated — OmniWatch offers a groundbreaking layer of identity protection (think: 24/7 monitoring, full-scale identity restoration, and up to $25,000 in scam insurance).*

Community

When a hero comes along
Trucks are gathered to restore power in a Tampa neighborhood. There are workers in high-vis jackets standing by white bucket trucks, and power lines overhead. The sky is mostly blue with some clouds, and the sun is shining down.
Thank you to these unsung heroes. | Photo by TBAYtoday
Pretty much all the power has been restored in the Tampa Bay area thanks to the efforts of TECO and Duke Energy. Both companies hired swathes of extra workers to get the lights back on in the wake of Helene + Milton.

Local businesses are providing special deals to say thanks for their hard work:
  • Busch Gardens is offering free admission for first responders and utility workers through the end of October. Those eligible can get two tickets to enjoy the park’s rides, coasters, games, and animals.
  • Next time you’re at Taco Bus, you can buy a $10 gift card for a first responder. And if that’s not enough, all proceeds from the cards will go toward the Tampa chain’s staff impacted by the storms.
  • Lineworkers can see the sights at St. Pete’s FloridaRAMA for free through Thursday, Oct. 31. The zany arts haven wrote, “your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed.”
From all of us at TBAYtoday, thank you.

The Buy
A pair of thermal fleece lined leggings. Made with an elastic waistband and moisture-wicking fabric, they’re perfect for both casual and active wear.
More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by: Patrick
While most of our readers are in Tampa and St. Petersburg, we know there are some of you in the greater Tampa Bay area. For those down in Bradenton — we’ve got some news.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies will play their final two home games of the season at IMG Academy because of storm damage at Al Lang Stadium.

Keep your eyes peeled for ticket information.
Patrick Sidwell.jpeg

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