JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Early voting began Monday and as the weekend approaches, election officials are predicting that voter traffic will ramp up.
Officials said they are beginning to see things increase throughout the city.
A few first-time voters even came out to cast their ballots Friday for the election.
Emara Jones said change was one of the reasons she decided to vote in this election versus previous ones.
“I thought about all the times that I did not vote and that my voice was not present,” Jones said.
Other voters expressed similar sentiments to Jones, saying that they want their voices to count as well. So, to beat the crowds and ensure their vote counts, they opted for early voting.
The Supervisor of Elections Office predicts a 37% voter turnout, which is higher than the turnout of the first election which was about at 25%.
The supervisor’s office is urging voters to address any issues that might arise while at the precinct.
“If you have any problems or if you think something’s wrong, always check with the poll workers before you vote and leave the polling location. Because if you call us later on and say, ‘Hey, I thought I was supposed to see certain person on my ballot, but I didn’t,’ the time to fix that is when you’re in the precinct,” Chief Elections Officer Robert Phillips said.
Early voting continues through May 14. There are 19 voting sites across the county, and polls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends.