JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Early voting ends Sunday in an election in Duval County that will determine Jacksonville’s next mayor and who will fill several other seats. So far voting is at 16 percent.
Election Day is May 16th, but Duval County’s Chief of Elections Officer Robert Phillips encourages people to get it out and vote.
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“Early voting is very convenient. It’s very fast and very easy,” said Phillips.
There are 19 early voting sites citywide. Anyone registered to vote may cast a ballot at any early voting site through May 14th.
The big-ticket item on the ballot is the race for Mayor between Democrat Donna Deegan and Republican Daniel Davis. Right now, turnout stands at more than 16 percent… which Phillips says is standard.
“Duval County, sometimes it votes Republican sometimes it votes Democrat. You never really can tell. I’ve always been a firm believer that candidates drive turnout. If people get really excited about a candidate people want to get out and vote for them,” Phillips said.
So far more than 41,000 mail-in ballots have been submitted. More than 66,000 ballots have come through early voting. Regardless of when you cast your ballot, Phillips says it only takes a few votes to shift the outcome of an election.
“Every vote really does count. Three or four votes per precinct can really add up and make a difference,” Phillips said.