PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Thursday, Feb. 27 is the deadline to request a mail-in ballot for municipal elections in Pinellas County.

Those elections will be held on March 11.

Maryellen Gordon with the League of Women Voters of St.  Petersburg said in some ways, smaller elections can be even more important than federal elections.

“I think people are a little burned out,” Gordon said. “They don’t want to think about elections yet, but the thing we try to remind them about that these are local elections.”

It’s important to check to see if you are registered to vote and if you vote by mail, you need to request that mail-in ballot.

The LOWV St. Pete are holding events leading up to the election, making sure that everyone is registered and request their mail-in ballot before the deadline.

Gordon is trying to get the message out about the upcoming municipal elections being held in Pinellas County beach communities.

This is the first municipal election in the beach communities since hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The communities were hit hard.

Many people have been frustrated at the level of recovery and even more so with “damage assessment letters” that some residents say has been slow going.  

If you are voting by mail, it’s important to remember that you have to re-request a mail-in ballot every two years after a federal election cycle.

“We’re running several candidate forums,” Gordon said. “We are going to have a candidate forum in Indian shores candidates and another one for St. Pete Beach.

“And we are hoping to get voters out, so they understand that there are mayors up for election, there are commissioners up for election and there’s really important seats.”