SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Early voting in Central Florida wrapped up Sunday, Nov. 3, with election officials reporting record voter turnout numbers. 

In Seminole County, turnout exceeded 50%, reflecting significant early voter participation ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.

Supervisor of Elections for Seminole County Chris Anderson noted the popularity of early voting as a choice among residents.

“Our most popular method of voting in Seminole County is early voting. We’ve got 14 days, 12 hours a day, [at] eight early voting sites,” he said.

This extended access has played a pivotal role in minimizing long lines and ensuring a streamlined experience.

For first-time voter Elijah Carter, casting his ballot was deeply personal.

“It means a lot to me. It means a lot to my family,” Carter shared, adding that many of his relatives could not vote. With guidance from his mother on ballot issues and presidential candidates, he was confident in making informed decisions. “Every vote matters,” he said. “If it’s not, people aren’t just going out voting for no reason.”

Election officials emphasized the security of ballots during the early voting period. Anderson reassured voters by explaining that secure ballot intake stations are monitored around the clock when available. He highlighted that state law prohibits overnight storage of ballots in unattended locations.

Officials remind voters that Election Day requires visiting assigned precinct locations. For those using vote-by-mail, ballots should be delivered to an official drop-off site before 7 p.m. on Election Day to ensure timely receipt.

Orange County breaks record

Orange County broke records within the first week of early voting and those numbers continued to grow.

According to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office, roughly 448,816 people cast their ballot during the early voting period, including in-person and vote by mail ballots.

Over the two weeks of early voting, the county experienced an unexpected number of people casting their ballots across the 22-early voting locations that saw voters waiting in line for hours to cast their ballots.

Because of the high turnout, Elections Supervisor Glen Gilzean opened four express sites to alleviate the long wait times for early voting.

However, voters who plan to cast their ballot on Tuesday, Election Day, will have to vote at their designated polling location.

Vote-by-mail ballots can be turned in at your designated polling location in exchange for an in-person ballot or you can drop them off at the Supervisor of Elections Office.

There has been a pretty tense lead up to this election, with reports of altercations at polling places across the country, ballot boxes being burned and other issues ahead of Election Day.

The Department of Justice announced that it would be monitoring 86 jurisdictions in nearly 30 states to ensure things are in line with federal voting rights laws on Election Day and that list includes Orange and Osceola counties.