October 24, 2026
By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
The trek to vote in this year’s General Election was a convenient one that had me taking the route I typically travel three times a week for my morning swims at the New Port Richey Recreation & Aquatic Center. The drop box and two cheery volunteer poll workers were set up just steps from the entrance where others were walking in to cast their votes in person on the first day (October 19) of early voting in Pasco County.
I mean, how easy is that?
It actually could have been easier. Could have put a stamp on it and slipped my ballot in the mailbox in front of the house or gone to the drive-thru or walk-up counter at the post office that’s closer to home.
Even so, while I enjoy the convenience of being able to fill out my ballot in the comfort of my home, and have used the alternatives in prior elections, this time around it felt more prudent to simply drop it on my way to the pool and be rewarded with a text the very next day from the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Office notifying me that my ballot had been received and would be counted.
Impressive.
As of Friday, more than 1.6 million Floridians out of 13.7 million registered voters had weighed in on the general election. If you’re looking to join them in voting during the early-voting period (7 a.m.-7 p.m., October 19-31), be sure to check the Pasco County voting locations as well as the wait time for each early voting site: pascovotes.gov/elections/early_voting/early_voting_locations_and_wait_times.
If you’re an old-school voter like my good friend who always votes on Election Day (Tuesday, November 3, 2026), peruse the sample ballot that should have been mailed to you, check on your voting precinct now to make sure it has not changed, and make sure you’re in line at your precinct or over and done with it all when the polls close at 7 p.m.
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You often have no idea what’s going to hit a nerve in this business of local publication. This past week, a press release on the start of Pasco County Mosquito Control’s use of aerial spraying (October 19, 2026) over the concern of the mosquito-borne illness, dengue, generated a lot of clicks on the website as well as some talk in the comments section on What’s What New Port Richey’s shared social media post.
People were weighing in on different sides. Some for it. Some against. Some wanting to know more – about what was being sprayed, where they were spraying, when they would be spraying. Also, why aren’t we hearing the loud whirr of the ground trucks anymore? Turns out the trucks are now electric.
Following the mission of this publication to Connect People to the Community They Live In, I’m dropping a few links here so readers can find some more answers, explore information on their own from a quick tap to a deeper dive, as well as see how to weigh in.
On that note – a reminder that Mosquito Control District is led by a board of three elected commissioners (not currently on the ballot) and that the community is welcome to attend board meetings. Next one is November 4, 2026, at 2308 Marathon Rd., Odessa, FL.
Now onward
Links
- Pasco County Mosquito Control: pascomosquito.org
- How We Control Mosquitoes: pascomosquito.org/how-we-control-mosquitoes
- Treatment Schedule and Frequency: www.pascomosquito.org/product-labels-sds-sheets
- Product Labels & SDS Sheets: www.pascomosquito.org/product-labels-sds-sheets
- PCMCD Districts: pascomosquito.org/pcmcd-districts
- Pasco County Mosquito Control Board of Commissioners: pascomosquito.org/board-of-commissioners
- Pasco County Mosquito Control Board Meetings: pascomosquito.org/board-meetings
Michele Miller is the creator, editor, and content creator for the What’s What New Port Richey community website and biweekly newsletter, which has been up and running since June of 2020. Prior to that, she wrote “good news” stories, features, and columns while working as a reporter and photographer for the St. Petersburg Times/Tampa Bay Times. She resides in New Port Richey. Contact her at mmiller@whatswhatnewportrichey.com. To read more of her essays, click here.
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