JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite warnings from President Donald Trump, Floridians have cast mail-in ballots in record numbers before Tuesday’s Florida Primary.
Of 2.66 million votes cast statewide by Monday, 2.1 million were done on mail-in ballots and 554,814 voted in-person during early voting. Of votes cast, 1,029,277 were by Republican voters, 1,280,904 by Democrats and 387,632 by NPA and other party voters.
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The percentage of Floridians voting by mail has grown in the recent election cycles, with 1.28 million using mail-in ballots in the 2016 primary and 1.35 million in the 2018 primary. The number of Democrats using mail-in ballots is growing faster than Republicans.
Vote-by-mail ballots returned in recent primaries
The Aug. 18 primaries include races for congressional and legislative seats and numerous local posts throughout the state.
WHAT/WHO IS ON THE BALLOT: Voter’s Guide
While Trump has suggested that voting by mail is more subject to fraud -- something most experts finds find no evidence to support -- last week he expressed support for vote-by-mail in Florida and he and First Lady Melania Trump have requested theirs.
“Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True,” Trump tweeted last Tuesday. “Florida’s Voting system has been cleaned up (we defeated Democrats attempts at change), so in Florida I encourage all to request a Ballot & Vote by Mail!”