More Democrats have voted than Republicans so far in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – With just over a week to go until Florida’s primary election, state data shows more Democrats than Republicans have voted so far, though final numbers are far from set in stone.

Experts said there might be an “enthusiasm gap” where Democrats are more motivated to vote. They also said vote by mail is down for Republicans, probably because President Trump has said it should be restricted.

As of 8 a.m. on Monday, more Democrats have voted, whether by mail or in-person, than Republicans, even though Republicans have a huge lead in total registered voters.

“So, if Democrats actually have turned out at a slightly higher rate so far, and Republicans actually have 1.5 million more total voters, that actually suggests Democrats maybe are more mobilized and more energized,” UCF Professor Aubrey Jewett said.

Jewett said Republicans used to use vote-by-mail more than Democrats, but things have flipped, largely because of President Trump. Just over 330,000 Republicans have used that option so far, while more than half a million Democrats have.

“Because President Trump has talked so badly about this and said that it is fraudulent and these kinds of things, a lot of Republicans have heeded that advice in Florida as well,” Jewett said.

Early in-person voting opened all across the state on Saturday. That means Supervisors of Elections are checking their systems, including in Leon County, where they audit in real time instead of waiting until the election finishes.

“And sometimes we spend 15, 20 minutes looking at one signature and it’s in front of the public,” Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said. “There is a public review of our process if the public wants to take advantage of that.”

Despite criticism, election officials said vote by mail remains a secure method, which almost 800,000 people across all parties have chosen.

“We don’t take our job lightly. We are responsible for ensuring the integrity of the vote, and that’s what the canvassing board actually does,” Earley said. “We go to great lengths to make sure that we do our due diligence.”

It’s important to keep in mind that even though Democrats have the lead right now, things could change. Experts say many Republicans plan to vote in person on the actual election day, which is set for August 18.