Early Voting Begins Saturday for August 23rd Primary Elections

The state of Florida is holding the primary for its off-year 2022 election on August 23rd...that's when registered voters can show up, from 7 am to 7 pm, to cast their ballots in person at their respective assigned precincts. For those who want to vote early, Alachua County has seven locations for this: four in Gainesville and one each in Newberry, Hawthorne and Alachua.  Early voting will start this Saturday the 13th and end on Saturday the 20th...voting hours are from 9 am to 6 pm.  After updating my personal information per the new state law and switching my party affiliation to better vote against fascists who denied the 2020 presidential election, I didn't expect to receive a mail-in ballot, but I did and plan to go ahead in send it in although my preference is to vote in person on election day...barring pandemics.  The Republican incumbent governor and U.S. senator are running unopposed in their respective primaries, but Democratic voters will have to choose their party's nominees for these two races.  The US House Florida District 3 is being contested in both parties, with the incumbent a controversial figure. Florida state cabinet seats are also on the ballot, more races contested on the Democratic side than the Republican. With the state legislature, only one race, state house District 22, is on the ballot...I'm in 21.  There's a circuit judge race I'm clueless about.  And there is a slew of local races, four on the county school board, mayor, and three districted city commission seats...these local races are all nonpartisan.  My votes this time around will be based on the following priorities. 

1-Is the candidate fascist-leaning, i.e.. accepts only election results when their own side wins?

2-Did the candidate support public health recommendations like masking, social distancing and vaccination to prevent the spread of Covid?

3-What are the candidate's positions (in local commission and mayor races) on single-family housing and utility rates?

That's it regarding my priorities for this election...you're free to prioritize your own vote and I'm not campaigning or endorsing anyone.  I will say this in closing: much has been made of voting as a "right", but I'm convinced that the civically-correct way to see it is as a solemn responsibility, a duty that comes with our citizenship...and I urge you to inform yourself and vote, regardless of your political philosophy. 

You can access information about the primary election in Alachua county by clicking on their voting website here...