TAMPA (FOX 13) -
A steady flow of voters began lining up around the Bay area Tuesday
– casting their vote in the 2012 Election that is coming down to the wire.
They were greeted by cloudy skies and moderate rain in the
Bay area, but forecasters said it should clear up by the afternoon, leaving
cooler weather in the evening as America decides between Mitt Romney and Barack
Obama.
A large part of that decision will be influenced by what
happens in Florida, home to 29 electoral votes. And a large part of what
happens in Florida will be influenced by what happens here.
Florida attorney general Pam Bondi was out in support of
Romney, standing beneath an umbrella as she greeted voters. Students at USF lined up early to vote on
campus, as did folks out at Trinity Baptist. As classes and work began and the
rain fell, however, the lines died down.
According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office, close
to 167,000 people voted early and 144,000 voted by mail. In Pinellas County,
more than 39,000 people voted early. By mail, that number jumps significantly
to 214,000.
Those numbers could make lines today a little shorter, but it was still busy Tuesday morning. In some spots, people were waiting close to an hour.
Polls close at 7 p.m. If you're in line by 7, you will get
to cast a vote.
Stay with Fox 13 and MyFoxTampaBay.com for live results when the polls close.
