PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Polling locations in Pasco County were busy Saturday, the county’s last day of early voting.
Heading into Saturday, 25,000 more people already had voted early this year in Pasco than the 77,027 who voted early in person in 2016, and the votes are now being tabulated.
Saturday marked the end of early voting in Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco counties.
What You Need To Know
- Turnout for early in-person voting was higher than expected
- Officials had expected most voters to submit mail-in ballots
- Any mail-in ballots now should be dropped off, officials said.
- Early voting locations and times; 2020 Voting Guide
Turnout was higher than expected in Pasco County because officials initially thought mail-in ballots would be the method voters would prefer because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said.
“This election cycle, the election itself became politicized,” Corley said. “And that’s sad — and inappropriate. There are no ballots tossed in the rivers, no ballots thrown away. We look at every ballot, obviously.”
Corley said he still thinks early voting went well in Pasco County, based on feedback from voters. New locations were added and lines moved along, and COVID precautions were implemented to try to protect voters, he said.
“Seeing the voters in line, jovial, and talking to each other. Didn’t see that in 2016,” Corley added. “That’s refreshing. That actually made me very happy as a supervisor. “
Elections officials recommend that any voters who still have a mail-in ballot they would like counted drop it off at any supervisor of elections office. Ballots must be received before the end of voting on Tuesday, November 3, to be counted. Ballots postmarked on that date but not received in an elections office will not be counted.