PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County has already broken county records in terms of voter participation in the 2018 General Election, and it could break a few more by the time Election Day comes along.
- County received record number of vote-by-mail ballot requests
- More than 35,000 vote-by-mail ballots already returned by voters
- Early voting continues through November 3
- DECISION 2018: Latest News | Voting Guide
For starters, the county received a record number of requests for vote-by-mail ballots ahead of next month’s midterm election, according to Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley.
“We’re on pace to have a record-setting vote by mail,” Corley said of the response so far. “We’ve sent out the most we’ve ever sent out to voters, and we’re probably going to surpass the total from the last midterm general in 2014 of all vote-by-mail ballots cast.”
Corley said about half of the mail-in ballots requested for a given election are usually returned to his office. Of the 84,602 ballots Corley’s office sent out, more than 35,000 were returned by Monday.
He said 14 more trays of ballots were received Tuesday, which he estimated could bring them up to 42,000 or 43,000 – or about half -- with two weeks remaining before Election Day.
Higher level of civic engagement
“It’s really been phenomenal. We’ve been promoting it, and the different campaigns and political parties have been, as well. It’s exciting to see. Voters love the convenient factor,” Corley said.
“It’s really exciting, because what we’re beginning to see is a high level of civic engagement and advocacy on the part of voters for this election,” said Kevin O’Farrell, provost of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus and former political science professor.
O’Farrell said voters in Pasco and elsewhere seem especially motivated ahead of the midterms for a couple of reasons.
“There’s a lot of national attention right now. We kind of almost nationalized a lot of our elections. Just because of the nature of how receive our news and information, people are much more engaged at a national level, which then translates into the local, individual choices,” O’Farrell said.
Election Day effect?
Voter mobilization groups have also been active in registering and engaging first-time voters, according to O’Farrell.
What the early enthusiasm will mean on Election Day in Pasco remains to be seen.
“Generally, pre-Election Day has become more prevalent than Election Day, meaning vote-by-mail and early voting, but we saw a very strong Election Day in the primary,” said Corley.
He said he expects that could happen again on November 6.
Early voting in Pasco will continue through Saturday, Nov. 3. For information on locations and what you need to bring with you, visit: https://www.pascovotes.com/Elections/Ways-to-Vote/Early-Voting/About-Early-Voting.
Corley also recommends that voters double-check their registration status before heading to the polls.