ST. PETERSBURG — The League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg Area (LWVSPA) had to stop doing in-person voter registration and education events in mid-March; their last outing was helping clients at Daystar Life Center on March 11.
Using publicly available data from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections and working closely with community partners, LWVSPA developed a multi-part campaign with messaging that urges residents to think about voting by mail as “Your Voting Back-Up Plan.”
The voter turnout data and partner conversations also led to the decision by Grove and leaders of the Voter Services team to focus the campaign on low turnout precincts, particularly on the south side; speaking to female voters who like the tradition of voting in person as a way of engaging with their families and neighbors at their polling place.
Grove said while data shows that women in these precincts vote at higher rates than men, “there was agreement in many of our discussions with community partners that women are the decision-makers and influencers in their families and communities primarily in areas like voting.”
LWVSPA and Community Law Program are also hosting a voter registration event specifically for Returning Citizens this Sunday, June 28, from 12-3 p.m. at the parking lot of Rock of Jesus MB Church, 3940 18th Ave. S.
Pro bono attorneys will be available for those who are not able to register because of sentencing issues.
