Hillsborough County voters can cast midterm ballots at 27 early voting sites starting Monday, Oct. 19, with two locations serving the South Shore area.

The Apollo Beach Park & Recreation Center at 664 Golf and Sea Blvd. and the SouthShore Community Resource Center at 201 14th Ave. SE in Ruskin are both open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Nov. 1, according to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. The Southshore Regional Service Center at 410 30th St. SE in Ruskin is a third nearby option.

The Ruskin resource center is new to the early voting lineup. It replaces the SouthShore Regional Library, which is closed for renovations, Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer's office said in a press release.

"We are a large county and I want our voters to have plenty of options to cast their ballot," Latimer said in the release. "For General Elections, I keep Early Voting open for the maximum number of days and hours allowed by law."

Unlike Election Day, voters do not have to use their assigned precinct. Any registered Hillsborough County voter can walk into any of the 27 sites.

Voters should bring a current photo ID with a signature. A Florida driver license, U.S. passport, military ID or student ID all qualify, according to the supervisor's office. Voters who forget their ID may cast a provisional ballot.

What's on the ballot

The governor's race tops the ticket. Republican Congressman Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly are running to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, WFLA reported.

Republican Ashley Moody, whom DeSantis appointed to the U.S. Senate after President Trump tapped Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, faces Democratic Congresswoman Angie Nixon.

Races for attorney general, chief financial officer, agriculture commissioner, state legislators and county school board seats are also on the ballot.

Three county referendums

Three Hillsborough County referendums carry direct local weight.

Referendum 1 would make the school superintendent an elected position instead of one appointed by the school board, starting in 2028. The Hillsborough County School Board voted unanimously against the measure at its Oct. 6 meeting, according to Bay News 9.

State Rep. Michael Owen, who introduced the bill behind the referendum, said the idea has been discussed in Hillsborough County for years and would give residents more say in who leads their children's education.

Referendum 2 would expand the Board of County Commissioners from seven members to nine, with a further increase to 11 once the county's population reaches 2.5 million. It would also require all commissioners to be elected from single-member districts.

Referendum 3 would continue the half-penny school sales tax for another 10 years. The levy funds maintenance such as air conditioning repairs and security upgrades. Since voters first approved the tax in 2018, the district has invested more than $1.326 billion in school improvements, according to Hillsborough County Public Schools.

Three state constitutional amendments

Amendment 1 would raise the cap on the state's reserve fund from 10% to 25% of general revenue. Amendment 2 would exempt farm equipment from property taxes. Amendment 3 would increase the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and cut the annual assessment cap on non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%. Amendments 2 and 3 would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, if approved.

Key deadlines

The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. Voters can call (813) 612-4180 or visit VoteHillsborough.gov to make a request. Mail-in ballots can also be dropped off at secure intake stations inside any early voting site during operating hours.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.