PANAMA CITY — Candidates for Congress on Monday made a final push to rally supporters and earn votes from anyone who remained on the fence on the last day before the election.
Experts say the race between incumbent Rep. Steve Southerland and Democratic challenger Gwen Graham is too close to call, so neither candidate was letting up with 24 hours to go.
Southerland spent Monday morning in Tallahassee, waving signs and encouraging supporters and volunteers before deploying them to knock on doors and work phone banks at a get-out-the-vote rally, said spokesman Matt McCullough.
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Graham worked her way through the district from Tallahassee through Quincy and Marianna down to the 800 block of North East Avenue in Panama City, where she thanked supporters and volunteers and urged them to keep working until the polls close Tuesday.
"Everyone recognizes that we have to make every second count between now and 7 p.m. central time so that everybody has an opportunity to exercise their right to vote," Graham said.
Graham had one last pre-election appearance in Panama City scheduled this morning at the polls at the Bay County Library when they open before she returns to Tallahassee to await the results. Likewise, Southerland will be back in Panama City this morning for a rally at his campaign headquarters at 9 a.m. before casting his ballot with members of his family.
Southerland and Graham are running one of the nation's most closely watched contests, but they're not the only choices voters will face.
Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Charlie Crist also are running neck-and-neck to see who will be Florida's governor.
Several members of the Cabinet also are facing challenges. Attorney General Pam Bondi faces George Sheldon, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam faces Thaddeus Hamilton and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is up against Will Rankin.
Jay Trumbull, Jamie Shepard and Henry Lawrence are vying to represent District 6, which includes much of Bay County, in the Florida Legislature, while Brad Drake and Karen Schoen are running to represent District 5, which includes the small remaining portion of the county.
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Voters will see a list of five judges on the 1st District Court of Appeals facing a merit retention election: Robert T. Benton, Joseph Lewis Jr., Scott Makar, Tim Osterhaus and Clay Roberts.
Three amendments to the state constitution that deal with the preservation of wetlands, the legalization of marijuana for medical use and judicial appointments also are on the ballot.
Polls will be open Tuesday in Bay County from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Visit www.bayvotes.org to find the appropriate polling place.