Grassroots Candidate for Hillsborough County Faces Pandemic Campaigning Challenges Head-On With Dedicated Team of Volunteers
Across the country, the coronavirus pandemic has presented considerable challenges for working-class candidates running for local, state, and federal seats. In the wake of local and statewide COVID-19 guidelines, grassroots candidates have been scrambling to modify their campaign operations in order to comply with social distancing guidelines for the health and safety of their communities.
In Hillsborough County, Florida — the fourth-most populous county in the state— the grassroots campaign of full-time nurse and community activist, Sky White, has demonstrated a tenacious drive to continue campaigning despite pandemic-imposed challenges.
After finishing second in the Democratic primary for a countywide seat in 2018, White is now running for the Hillsborough County Commission seat for District 3 — a position that will soon be vacated by term-limited Democratic Commissioner Lesley “Les” Miller.
Over the last two months of social distancing and large event cancellations, White and her dedicated team of volunteers (“Team Sky”) have utilized various no-contact organizing tactics in order to continue growing her support network in the community.
This month, in anticipation of an important petition deadline, White’s campaign collected over 1,200 of the 1,753 petitions needed in order to qualify White for the August primary election.
This was a major boost to the campaign, which has been striving for months to qualify White’s candidacy by petition. The only alternative option for qualification is paying a qualifying fee of over $6,000 to the county Supervisors of Elections Office.
Over the two weeks preceding the May 11th deadline, White’s team of volunteers sent over 1,000 text messages, over 10,000 emails, and mailed 700 petitions to District 3 voters. In compliance with social distancing guidelines, Team Sky also spent a total of 48 hours over this period walking through neighborhoods in her district to tape petitions onto the doors of local community members to sign and return to her campaign.
As a Black, Millennial candidate who reports no interest in “playing politics”, White’s vision for Hillsborough County reflects local priorities of her district, as well as insight garnered through years of experience in community activism and her work in the healthcare and non-profit sectors.
Her campaign has consistently sought to empower residents of one of Hillsborough County’s most marginalized districts by listening to constituents’ needs and developing a platform that champions the expansion of affordable housing, inclusive transportation, guaranteeing universal healthcare coverage, and climate justice.
According to local activists, White’s messaging has resonated deeply with long-time Hillsborough County residents who have felt neglected and underwhelmed by the county’s elected leadership.
“Sky takes the stances that I wish all politicians would take regarding the most critical issues these days: climate crisis, Medicare for All, and affordable housing, to name a few,” says volunteer, Laurel Ureña. “We need a young, fearless visionary leading the county, and she’s got what it takes.”
In the first District 3 campaign forum of the election cycle on May 21, White reasserted her plans to demonstrate progressive leadership on the board, vocalizing a need to increase support for small business owners and develop a strong support system for economically-disadvantaged residents— including the county’s houseless population.
The virtual town hall, broadcasted on Facebook Live, featured White and late-entry candidate, Rick Fernandez — leaving the other four District 3 candidates, including the lone Republican running for the seat, absent.
With the August 18 primary election fast approaching, the five candidates have only a few months left to gather the support needed to win Commissioner Miller’s soon-to-be-vacant seat on the county board.
Like other grassroots campaigns, White relies largely on small-dollar donations and her energized volunteer base to help spread the word about her candidacy and share what sets her apart from other candidates vying for the seat.
“The truth is, I grew up here,” says local volunteer, Getulio Gonzalez-Mulattieri, “and I can’t stand to see this city fall victim to [the] excesses and negligence that’s negatively impacting other metropolitan areas around the country.
“Sky is running a grassroots campaign for the people and by the people, and I firmly believe that with her in office the most vulnerable [in] our city won’t get left behind in these unsettling times.”
Due to concerns regarding the safety of mass gatherings, the county’s Supervisor of Elections is encouraging residents to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot to ensure the integrity and safety of the voting process this election cycle. The deadline to request a mail ballot in Hillsborough County is no later than 5 p.m. on the 10th day before the election.
