The first General Election ballots, the ones going to overseas and military voters, must be in the mail by Saturday under Florida law, 45 days before Election Day. The Pinellas GOP has four campaigns knocking on doors the same morning.
The party is billing it as Super Saturday. The walks start between 9 and 10 a.m. and run from a Clearwater shopping plaza to a Publix parking lot in St. Pete. The Byron Donalds campaign’s flyer sets the dress code: casual walking clothes and comfortable shoes.
The Donalds canvass meets at 9:30 a.m. at Lake Seminole Park, 10015 Park Blvd. in Seminole, with state Sen. Nick DiCeglie as the featured guest. Water, coffee, and refreshments are provided. RSVPs go to [email protected] or (561) 801-2610.
A St. Pete Polls survey for Florida Politics released this week has Donalds tied with Democrat David Jolly, 44% to 43%, statewide. Donalds leads the Tampa media market 47% to 42% in that poll. Jolly is a former Congressman from Pinellas.
DiCeglie is on the ballot too. He faces Democrat Karla Kemp in Senate District 18, where Republicans hold an 11-point registration edge. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri endorsed him Thursday.
In Clearwater, Republican Rep. Kim Berfield starts at 9 a.m. at Beckett Lake Plaza, 1921 N. Belcher Road, on the west side of the parking lot, and walks until 12:30 p.m. Water is provided, and first-time volunteers get a T-shirt. RSVPs are by call or text to (813) 416-7337.
Berfield faces Democrat Bryan Beckman in a House District 58 rematch. She beat him in 2024. She had about $276,000 on hand across her campaign and political committee as of late June, roughly four times Beckman’s total. Her campaign has five more group walks scheduled, every Saturday through Oct. 31 except Oct. 10.
In St. Pete, Melissa Rutland and Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters are walking together. The walk starts at 9 a.m., with the meeting location sent on RSVP, and an optional lunch follows at 12:30 p.m. RSVPs go to [email protected] and [email protected].
Rutland is the Republican running for House District 60, the seat Democratic Rep. Lindsay Cross is leaving. She faces Democrat Lindsay Polega-Quigley in a district where the parties are split about 35% to 35%.
Peters, who endorsed Rutland, faces Democrat David Glenn Jr. in County Commission District 6. She had raised more than $116,000 to his roughly $3,400 as of June. Republicans outnumber Democrats 43% to 28% in the district.
Republican Rep. Linda Chaney has the latest start. Her Super Saturday runs from 10 a.m. to noon out of the Publix at 1600 66th St. N in St. Petersburg, with lunch afterward. Brady Fisher is the contact at (850) 901-7528.
Chaney faces Democrat Michael Warner, a grassroots organizer who has said his House District 61 campaign will be built on voter registration and neighborhood organizing. Chaney won the seat with 56% in 2022 and 56% in 2024. Republicans make up about 39% of the district’s voters and Democrats about 30%.
Republicans outnumber Democrats in Pinellas by almost 50,000 voters. The General Election is Nov. 3.
___
Ed. note: This story was drafted with assistance from AI. Editorial judgment, sourcing, and final review were performed by Peter Schorsch and the Florida Politics editorial team.
