ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Thousands of people across Central Florida will cast their vote in person weeks before Election Day on November 3  —   thanks to early voting.  In Seminole County, many voters now won’t have to go as far as they have in the past because the county’s supervisor of elections is adding an eighth early-voting location.

Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson said he has been searching for a space to keep as many voters as possible distanced from each other.  Anderson found 10,000 square feet of space inside a now-vacant building that used to be a party-themed store.

“We now have a location that’s large enough to handle an influx of voters,” Anderson said.

The location  —  inside a shopping center at 1140 East Altamonte Drive, Suite 1003, right off State Road 436  —  is owned by a couple in Texas.  Anderson tracked down the owners who agreed to let him use it for free.

“It’s just their way of giving back,” Anderson said.

Seminole County had seven early-voting locations, but none of them were in Altamonte Springs.  People in that area had to go to Wekiva Springs or Casselberry.

“It was clear we needed an early-voting site in this location to relieve Casselberry,” Anderson said.

The Lacommare family will now be able to walk across the shopping plaza from their Italian restaurant.

“It’s exactly what we needed in this area right here,” Lenny Lacommare said.

For at least two weeks, it could bring in new customers.

“COVID-19 hit us hard,” Lacommare said. “It’s great to have some more traffic in this shopping center.”

And if the county’s other, smaller early-voting locations become too busy, this location can handle an overflow of voters.

“This is a win-win for 327,000 registered voters in Seminole County,” Anderson said.

​Early voting begins October 19 in Seminole County and runs through November 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time each day. 

More information can be found on the Seminole County supervisor of elections website.