Florida voters turned out in high numbers over the weekend as early voting ended for most counties in the lead-up to Tuesday's presidential election and other ballot measures, including proposals on recreational marijuana and abortion rights. By Monday morning, approximately 8.2 million Floridians, or 58.7% of registered voters, had already cast ballots, according to the state's Division of Elections.
A more granular look at how the numbers stack up when split into political parties reveals interesting insights about voter intent among Florida voters, as reported by Tampa Bay Times. Republicans are leading in voter turnout, with 3,538,877 ballots cast, representing 64.3% of registered Republicans. Democratic turnout, though slightly lower, remains significant, with 2,693,779 Democrats voting, or 60.9% of those registered.
When split into counties, only seven of Florida's 67 counties had Democrats leading in voter turnout for early voting and vote by mail. However, those seven counties' registered voters represent about 26% of all registered voters in the state, as the Miami Herald reports.
Palm Beach and Broward counties reported turnout rates ahead of the state average. Palm Beach County saw a 63.6% voter turnout by Monday, with Democrats slightly leading at 67.3%, compared to 67% for Republicans. Broward reported a 59.5% overall turnout, with both Republicans and Democrats reaching about 63% turnout.
However, independent voter participation in both counties was markedly lower, around 50-55%. Overall, independent and third-party voters across the state showed lower turnout, with 1,954,737 ballots, or 48.5% of registered independents and minor-party affiliates.
Early voting has grown in popularity, with many Floridians opting to vote in advance or by mail rather than waiting until Election Day. Republicans in particular have been urging followers to cast early ballots across the country at a higher rate than 2020 and had managed to cast nearly 19 million ballots by October 22, according to the Associated Press.
While Florida was once a battleground state in presidential elections, it has increasingly leaned Republican during the last few years, as the GOP currently controls Florida's governor's office, both houses of the state legislature, both U.S. Senate seats, and 18 of 30 congressional districts. In fact, the number of registered Republican voters in Florida surpassed Democrats by more than 1 million back in August, marking the largest margin for the GOP in the state since the late 80s.
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