Floridians are making their voices heard as they head to the polls to cast their ballots in the 2016 elections.
Over 1.6 million Floridians had voted as of Tuesday morning according to the latest figures from the Florida Division of Elections. Over 1.3 million Floridians have voted via absentee/vote-by-mail ballots, with 1.8 million ballots still waiting to be returned.
Slightly more Republicans have voted than Democrats in vote by mail ballots, casting a little over 40 percent of the returned ballots while Democrats had returned a little under 40 percent of the vote.
On top of voting by mail, 300,000 Floridians voted in early voting on Monday alone. Democrats led Republicans in early voting numbers, with 133,000 Dems casting their votes Monday. Over 109,000 Republicans voted early Monday, while 43,000 No Party Affiliation voters cast their ballots.
Early voting began around many parts of the state at the beginning of the week, offering voters a way to avoid long lines at polling places. Libraries, elections offices and other city buildings will transform into polling places over the next two weeks until Election Day.
While Flroida voters head to the polls, local, statewide, national and presidential candidates are all working on making their final pushes in the Sunshine State.
Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were making the Florida circuit early this week, stopping around the state in their final pushes for the White House.
Florida, a state which carries 29 electoral votes, is key to victory for any candidate trying to win next month.
Not only Not only will President Barack Obama be joining Clinton for a rally in Orlando next Friday, but her husband, Bill Clinton, has been making his rounds in Florida over the last few days, appearing in Orlando for a teachers’ union convention Friday before heading to Jacksonville, then to Panama City and Pensacola.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine made stops in Orange County Sunday, spending two days in Florida from Central Florida to Miami.
Hillary Clinton had some musical help via Jennifer Lopez, who is performed concert rally for Clinton in Miami on Saturday. Clinton herself will hold a rally Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale and attended a fundraiser in Miami Tuesday evening.
Trump has been making appearances in Florida this week as well, stopping in Tampa to speak to a crowd of 10,000 Monday evening.
Polling between Trump and Clinton was incredibly tight just over a month ago, but Clinton has begun to trounce Trump after he made controversial comments regarding women in a leaked tape which was released earlier this month.
Election Day is Nov. 8.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
