We're just days away from Election Day and close to one-third of the state's registered voters have already cast their ballots with vote by mail or early voting. That's four million ballots, already in.
Brian Corley, Pasco County elections superviso, said many states don't have early voting and require an affidavit to get an absentee ballot, so the only option for them is voting in person on election day.
"Florida being the largest battleground state and now the third in population, early voting in the statute itself says 'as a convenience to the voter,' and we're seeing more and more voters utilize both early voting and vote by mail for knocking it out, so I like spreading it out between the three, to be honest with you," Corley said.
He said he and his staff have seen a renewed sense of voter engagement and enthusiasm for voting this election year.
"Voters are relaying to me and my staff that it's not so much enthusiasm for a particular candidate, but against another candidate," Corley said.
Corley said if you're in line at 7 p.m. when the polls close on Nov. 8, in his words, "whether you're fifth in line or 85th, you will vote."
That's because a poll deputy lines up behind the last person in line at 7 and then must turn away those who try to get in line to vote after 7 p.m.
Corley said we could see an historic turnout, based on what he's seen, a full 10 percent of those casting ballots on the first day of early voting in his county were "first-time voters."
As for Corley himself, he's already voted by mail.
