ORLANDO, Fla. – Survivors from the Pulse nightclub terror attack were among some of the first to take part in early voting Monday in Orange County.
The Human Rights Campaign, which is the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization, planned the event as part of an effort to engage the more than 565,000 LGBTQ voters in Florida.
"We cannot expect to change unless we take a stand, and get up and get moving, and stand up for what is right," Pulse nightclub owner Barbara Poma said.
Nightclub workers pointed out gun control and equal rights as some of the issues influencing their vote.
"We want to stop what has happened and we want to keep on pushing forward with positive things in our lives and for our state," Pulse entertainment manager Neema Bahrami said.
To mark the first day of early voting, HRC is also releasing a new ad featuring Pulse survivor Ricardo Negron-Almodovar.
In the ad, Negron-Almodovar recalls his experience inside the nightclub on June 12. He also stressed the importance of voting to make sure his voice is heard.
"This is a state that's used to close elections and we're gonna make certain that our community turns out," said Chad Griffin, president of HRC. "They are motivated and many of them are here today to be some of the first ones to vote."
In Orange County, early voting is available through Nov.6.
For a list of early voting locations, visit www.ocfelections.com/ocfelections.asp.