Election 2020: Floridians Are Turning Out In Record Numbers

FLORIDA — Even before voters across the state ventured out to their local polling places to cast their ballots Tuesday morning, state elections officials had announced that voters are turning out in record numbers. And by the end of the day, overall voter turnout could possibly shatter any previous records.

According to data compiled by the U.S. Elections Project which is being run by University of Florida Professor Michael McDonald, more than 8.9 million voters across Florida had already cast their ballot as of Monday. The Sunshine State remains a key state in the race for the Oval Office as polls are suggesting that the state is up for grabs when it comes to votes being cast for President Donald Trump and challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Statistics show that the number of people who have cast their ballots early across the state is 94 percent higher than in 2016, when 6,004,000 voters requested absentee ballots, according to data. As early voting wrapped up on Sunday across Florida, the number of residents who cast early ballots represents 63.8 percent of registered voters across the state.

According to reports, Monday’s totals of voters who had cast ballots ahead of Election Day gives a slight edge to Democrats, 3.5 million of which had voted early compared to 3.4 million Republicans. The Florida Division of Elections reports that there are just more than 108,00 more Republicans registered to vote across Florida.

By the time voting ends Tuesday, the all-time record number of people to show up to the polls could be in jeopardy. In 2016, when voters across Florida helped elect Trump to the White House, more than 9.4 million voters turned out. Reports indicate that by Monday, nearly 95 percent of that total had already showed up.

Four years ago, 75 percent of the state’s voters turned out to the polls, which ranks second only to 1992, when the state registered an 83 percent turnouts.

By county, early voters turned out highest in the following locations, which also includes what percentage of registered voters has already cast ballots.

• Broward County: 783,381 (63.3)
• Orange County 506,243 (60.5)
• Hillsborough County: 567,077 (62.3)
• Pinellas 425,407 (61.2)
• Duval County: 376,305 (58.3)
• Lee County: 328,005 (69.0)

According to NBC News, only twice has the winner of the election not carried Florida, including in 1992 when Bill Clinton gained access to the Oval Office and in 1960, when John F. Kennedy was elected.

This year, Biden has made a push to swing the state over the Democrats, which should prove to provide for a photo finish by the time voting ends Tuesday night.