Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark posted the latest vote-by-mail numbers for St. Petersburg’s Aug. 29 mayoral and City Council District 6 primaries.
As of Thursday, of the 66,687 mail ballots sent, nearly 21 percent — 13,552 — have returned. By party, 5,998 Democrats, 5,189 Republicans and 2,365 NPR/other have cast votes.
With mayoral-only ballots, 12,207 have returned of the 58,217 mailed (nearly 21 percent). Of the 8,670 of the mayoral and District 6 ballots sent, 1,344 (15.5 percent) have returned.
Incumbent Mayor Rick Kriseman faces a crowded primary field Aug. 29, which includes his leading opponent — former two-term Mayor Rick Baker — as well as Anthony Cates III, Paul Congemi, Theresa “Momma Tee” Lassiter and Jesse Nevel. Candidate Ernisa Barnwell had been disqualified due to a filing error; any vote cast for her will not count.
On the District 6 primary ballot are Justin Bean, Robert Blackmon, Eritha “Akile” Cainion, Gina Driscoll, Corey Givens Jr., James “Jim” Jackson, James Scott and Maria Scruggs. District 6 is a diverse part of the city that includes downtown and parts of the Old Northeast and Midtown, a largely African-American neighborhood.
The top two candidates in the Aug. 29 primary will go on to the Nov. 7 general election — which will also include the District 2 race between Brandi Gabbard and Barclay Harless, as well as District 4, between Jerick Johnston and incumbent Councilmember Darden Rice. Reauthorization for the Penny for Pinellas sales tax is also on the ballot.
Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. Election Day at one of the Pinellas elections offices: 315 Court St, Room 117, in Clearwater; 13001 Starkey Rd, Largo (Starkey Lakes Corporate Center) and 501 First Ave. N (Fifth St. N Entrance), St. Petersburg. Office hours are Monday — Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election Day hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
