‘I feel perfectly safe.’ COVID-19 is no match for Manatee County early voters

If the long line at the Lakewood Ranch Town Hall early voting location on Friday morning is an any indication, the number of Manatee County voters who vote before the Nov. 3 general election will continue to grow, regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not counting Friday’s tally, more than 83,000 Manatee County voters had already turned in their ballots, whether by mail or in person at LWR Town Hall and five other early voting locations.

Republicans and Democrats may have different political opinions, but those casting their ballots on Friday shared one thing in common: “I feel perfectly safe,” said Ginger Hyde, who is supporting President Donald Trump.

Maria, an RN who declined to give her last name, but supporting Joe Biden agreed. “We’re outside, I’m wearing a double mask and keeping my distance,” she said.

That’s about all Biden supporters and Trump supporters had in common. Maria didn’t want to give her last name due to her working closely with COVID-19 patients. She said she believes Trump has not done enough to address the pandemic.

On the outside of her mask, Maria wrote, “RIP 228,000,” referencing those who have lost their lives to the pandemic in the United States.

“By hook or by crook, he has to go,” she said.

Trump supporter Maria Asaro said this is the first election in which she is voting early.

“I couldn’t wait to vote for my president,” Asaro said. “I feel like he’s the man for the job.”

Asaro said she had no concerns whatsoever about voting in person, noting, “I feel comfortable and safe.”

Manatee voters flock to the polls

Mail-in ballots in Manatee County have surpassed 60,000 while close to 23,000 have voted in person in the first four full days of in-person early voting, not including Friday’s tally.

There are 273,427 eligible voters in the county so with a week remaining in early voting and about 10 days until Election Day, Manatee County has already turned out more than 30% of the vote and that number will only grow in the coming days.

Pointing to the long line at the LWR Town Hall, Jayne Colombaro said, “It’s been like this everyday, but you should have seen it on Monday. It’s been between an hour and a half to a two-hour wait.”

Colombaro, who supports Trump, also said she had no safety concerns about voting in person.

When asked why she was supporting Trump over Biden, she said, “Because he’s a great guy and gets things done for our country from the economy to keeping his promises in moving the embassy to Jerusalem. From what he’s done for Black colleges to the lowest unemployment numbers in history.”

Colombaro said Trump “can be a little raw, but he’s true. He works 24/7 and no president has done as much for this country as this president has.”

Hyde added, “Promises made, promises kept and beyond. He’s saving our country and our Republic.”

In an informal survey of about a dozen voters, 11 were supporting Trump and Maria was supporting Biden. Manatee County Democrats had a tent set up on site, but all five members declined to comment.

Trump supporter Peter McBride did, however. McBride, too, said he felt perfectly safe voting in person, but there wasn’t a lot of significance for him in doing so.

“I’ve always voted in person,” he said. “I’m a creature of habit. I have a few more elections in me and I’ll always do it this way. It’s not that I distrust the mail. I just feel this way is the right way.”

Where to early vote in Manatee

Early voting runs 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day until Nov. 1 at these six locations:

• Florida Department of Transportation Office, 14000 State Road 64 E., Bradenton.
• Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch.
• Manatee County Utilities Administration Office, 4410 66th St. W., Bradenton.
• Palmetto Library, 923 Sixth St. W., Palmetto.
• Rocky Bluff Library, 6750 U.S. Hwy. 301, Ellenton.
• Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, 600 301 Blvd. W., Bradenton.

You also can drop off your mail ballots at any of these locations.