TAMPA BAY, FL — The energy at polling places across the Tampa Bay area for the 2026 primary elections on Tuesday was mixed, candidates and volunteers told Patch.
At some sites, campaign signs lined the sidewalks, and voters honked as candidates and volunteers waved from the roadside. Some candidates described a steady stream of voters and encouraging encounters with people who wanted to talk about local issues.
At other polling locations, the crowds were sparse, a reminder that either many voters in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota and Manatee counties had already cast their ballots through early voting or by mail, or they simply weren't engaged with the primaries.
And with polls open until 7 p.m., candidates and volunteers are still working to persuade those who hadn't yet made up their minds.
Outside the Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg, around lunchtime, St. Pete mayoral candidate Brandi Gabbard described the mood as upbeat.
"It's really, really good. Very positive," Gabbard said. "People are excited about the future of St. Pete."
She said voters seemed increasingly engaged as Election Day approached. Many people already voted, while others were showing up to hand in their ballots on Tuesday simply because they wanted to see the candidates in person.
"This is the largest typical turnout precinct in the city," Gabbard said. "We've got voters all over the city today."
Mayoral candidate Charlie Crist also said he was seeing enthusiasm as he moved between polling places.
"I feel great, and I see a lot of energy," Crist said. "I mean, you know, people are honking at us as we're standing on the street corners and excited to vote today."
For Crist, Election Day was also an opportunity to remind voters about races that can be easy to overlook amid a lengthy ballot.
"That's why the campaign is so important. I mean, it's an educational opportunity, frankly," he said. "And so that's why we're out here and making sure people know today's Election Day."
But other candidates saw a quieter scene.
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Trevor Mallory, a St. Pete City Council District 6 candidate, spent the morning at his polling place before moving to other locations around the city. He described the pace as steady, but the overall turnout as subdued.
"I would say it's low energy," he said.
Mallory attributed some of that to the heat and to the fact that voters have had extensive opportunities to cast ballots before Election Day.
He has also encountered what he called "political fatigue" among voters.
"They're seeing what's going on in the national politics and people are just tired, and kind of wore out," Mallory said.
That doesn't mean voters aren't concerned about local issues, he added, noting that affordability, property values, insurance and housing all remain important to St. Petersburg voters.
"The economy is probably the biggest issue," Mallory said. "St. Pete is not very affordable."
Jameka Williams, another District 6 candidate, offered a more upbeat view of the campaign's final hours. She said supporters had been approaching her and telling her they were pulling for her.
For Williams, the election has also been notable for what she described as a positive campaign experience.
"This has been such a nice clean race full of integrity from all the candidates, who respected each other along the way," she said. "So I'm just so grateful for this opportunity."
Williams also said affordability was the biggest issue she was hearing from voters, particularly as artists, small businesses and working families struggle with the cost of living.
"I want to see our city progress in a way that doesn't leave people behind," she said.
Maria Scruggs, another St. Pete mayoral candidate, said she had been stationed at polling places since 7 a.m. and was encouraged by interactions with voters.
"The energy has been powerful," Scruggs said.
While at the polls, she saw numerous voters thank campaign workers and candidates for their efforts.
One voter told her he was surprised to see candidates at the polling place, she said. "But you have to be out here. You want people to come out here to vote? You better be out there."
The importance of simply showing up was echoed by Jaydyn Gonzales, a volunteer campaigning for women candidates through Ruth's List Florida.
Gonzales said she had been at the polls since 9 a.m. and planned to visit multiple locations in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.
She described Election Day as having a celebratory quality.
"It's a very patriotic feeling to kind of almost take it as a holiday and come with your community to vote together," Gonzales said.
She also noticed something different this year from what she has typically experienced while campaigning: More people were stopping to ask questions and request campaign information.
"Most people just drive past you when you're up here," Gonzales said. "But today, we've had people kind of walk over to this area and ask for our literature and our information."
Some voters were still trying to figure out the ballot as they got to the polls, she said. "There are definitely people who ... still don't really know who's on their ballot because there are just so many different levels of government and districts to consider when you're voting.
The challenge of educating voters was particularly evident in judicial races.
Nick Fiorentino, a candidate for Pinellas County judge, said he had been at the Coliseum since 7 a.m. and planned to stay until nearly 7 p.m.
"Judicial races are hard," Fiorentino said.
Voters often have difficulty finding information about judicial candidates, making Election Day outreach especially important, he said, adding, "People need that information because it's so hard to learn about the candidates."
Not everyone chose to wait until Tuesday to vote.
Amanda Just, a Sarasota-area voter and volunteer for U.S. Senate candidate Angie Nixon, said she had hand-delivered her ballot weeks ago after voting by mail.
Then, on Tuesday, she focused on campaign, visiting several polling places in Sarasota between 7 a.m. and noon. She was surprised to find them remarkably quiet.
"It was bleak," Just said. "Most of the sites looked like ghost towns."
She said early voting and vote-by-mail appeared to have drawn more voters, while she was surprised by how many people she encountered during campaign outreach who didn't know an election was taking place.
A Sarasota voter, Jack Massa, also said he and his wife had mailed their ballots weeks ago.
In St. Petersburg, Elsie Gilmore said she had dropped off her mail ballot weeks earlier. She said affordability, housing, development and the future of artists and working-class residents were among the issues that mattered to her.
Brandy Stark, another St. Petersburg voter who voted by mail, said she viewed Tuesday's election as an important step in narrowing the field before the next election.
And for one Gulfport mother of three, voting Tuesday meant dropping off a mail ballot she hadn't mailed in time.
"I forgot to mail it on time," she said.
She had already researched the candidates before filling out her ballot and said she preferred voting in a relaxed setting rather than feeling rushed at a polling place.
Her biggest concern this election was the school board race. With three children in Pinellas County schools, she wanted school board members who would ensure students feel safe and represented.
"Every kid deserves to have a voice and feel safe at school," she said.
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