Nearly 8.4 million Florida voters cast ballots in the 2012 general election, a record number that pushed voter turnout over 70 percent and may have changed forever both parties' strategies for getting out the vote.

An unprecedented amount of early voting characterized by long lines, and a Democratic push for absentees brought in more than half the number of ballots cast for the entire election before Election Day.

Nearly 1.9 million Floridians have already cast ballots in what is shaping up to be a razor-thin presidential race in which about one-fifth of the registered voters are not affiliated with a political party.

A surge in the number of voters who say they have no party affiliation was evident following the weekend release of registration data by the Florida Department of State's Division of Elections. The data show Democrats retaining a numeric advantage over their GOP rivals, but the margin has thinned since voters last went to the polls to elect a president.

Gov. Rick Scott unveiled his prescription for the future of education in Florida this week as he released details of an agenda that focused on national core standards and putting more faith in charter schools.

Following a listening tour that took him across the state, Scott released details of his legislative agenda for education, one of his few major forays outside economic development since taking office nearly two years ago.

Other than that, the looming elections in the politically deadlocked state overshadowed most issues this week.

Plans for a 36-million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant in Highlands County are being scrapped by BP Oil, which announced Thursday it will seek investment opportunities elsewhere.

Backing off plans announced in 2008 to build the cellulose-based ethanol plant in south-Central Florida, BP said it is ending its pursuit of commercial ethanol production in the United States entirely and will instead focus on developing the next generation of bio-fuel technology.

State officials are planning to ask lawmakers to set aside money to go after a bankrupt company that received millions in government aid.

The Department of Economic Opportunity said in a legislative budget request made public this week that it will ask legislators to earmark $500,000 to hire outside counsel to try to recoup at least some of the $20 million in incentives doled out by the state to Digital Domain.

Like a black hole sucking the light from the heavens, the general election now less than four weeks away appears to be preventing anything from escaping its grasp as the pace quickens and the money flows.

While U.S. vice presidential candidates held their table-top battle, voter registration ended this week in Florida, though final numbers won't be known for a bit.