ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — From our next president, to legalizing marijuana and expanding abortion access, there's a lot for Floridians to decide this Election Day.
"It's just a great feeling to feel like you know you did something," Doug Lamielle.
"It's great that everyone's voting," said Desiree Willever.
"I didn't expect so many people to be here. It's awesome that they are. I can't believe it," said James Cobler.
A steady line of eager voters wrapped around J.W. Cate Recreation Center in St. Pete Sunday.
"I think that, you know, voting is your civil duty, and it's super important. So seeing all these people turning out to cast their vote to make a difference in the election, that's what's important," said Cobler.
This election hangs in the shadows of two hurricanes and the damage they left behind.
An executive order is giving Pinellas County residents an extra day of early voting, extending it to Monday.
That's as neighbors work to rebuild and bounce back from the historic storms.
The Supervisor of Elections Office is doing similar work. 25 locations were damaged, and those voters will have to go to temporary locations on Election Day.
Here is a complete list of Polling Place Changes. Voters can also enter their address in the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Find Precinct tool to see their Election Day polling place.
Florida law requires voters to vote in their home precinct on Election Day. For this election only, as a last resort, Executive Order 24-234 permits voters to also vote at any of the three Supervisor of Elections offices on Monday, November 4, or Tuesday, November 5, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
"I feel like I am so packed and like, have no time, but it's so important to vote. Every vote really counts. And like, get your voice heard," said Willever.
The Florida Department of Elections Sunday update shows 7.8 million Floridians have voted either in person or by mail already.
There are 13,845,913 registered voters in Florida.
| Stats Type | Republican | Democrat | Other | No Party Affiliation | Total | Compiled | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vote-by-Mail Provided (Not Yet Returned) | 232,826 | 297,782 | 19,930 | 189,702 | 740,240 | 11/03/2024 8:14AM | Download File |
| Voted Vote-by-Mail | 978,975 | 1,162,715 | 60,098 | 587,220 | 2,789,008 | 11/03/2024 8:14AM | Download File |
| Voted Early | 2,455,483 | 1,397,420 | 126,109 | 1,065,079 | 5,044,091 | 11/03/2024 8:14AM | Download File |
"To me, something like voting is something so American. I mean, it's like every every election time I actually get excited. And I know it's kind of like, 'Oh, I might meet opposition to what I think'. But I just think, you know, seeing everybody here, and everybody wants to be heard, and everybody wants to put their vote in, I think that's great," said Lamielle.
So far more than 77 million Americans have voted in this year's election according to data by the University of Florida Election Lab. That's 42 million in-person votes, 35 million mail ballots returned, and 67 million mail ballots requested.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th. Polls open at 7 A.M. and close at 7 P.M.
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