ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — Florida’s primary election is Tuesday, and so far voter turnout is relatively low across the area.

Early voting wrapped Saturday, and in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, numbers show roughly 10% of voters either took part in early voting or voted by mail.

“We were hoping it’d be a little higher, but right now we’re sitting at a total of over 13,000 people who have voted in Santa Rosa,” Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections Tappie Villane said.

“I can compare myself back to 2022 and 2018 primary elections in midterm election years, and we had more early voters than either of those two years,” Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux said. “But percentage-wise, it’s still lower because now, of course, we have more voters on our roll.”

Those numbers are a little higher in Escambia County at almost 14%.

With this being a primary election in a midterm year– it does not typically draw presidential year crowds.

“Compared to years past, your primary houses, typically, primaries average anywhere from a 20 to 25 or 26% turnout,” Villane said.

There had also been a decrease in mail-in ballots returned now that you must re-request a mail-in ballot after each general election.

“We have seen fewer people jumping back on the list,” Lux said. “That is going to tweak it a little bit. Now, of course, we’re not done receiving vote-by-mail ballots. Voters have until 7 p.m. tomorrow to bring back their vote-by-mail ballots to our office.”

But the real turnout test comes tomorrow when polling places open across the state.

“Historically, what we have seen is double the number of early and absentee voters turning out at the polls on election day in midterm primaries,” Lux said. “But if those extra vote-by-mail voters who we didn’t see vote by mail or vote early this time turn up on election day, then certainly that number could climb even higher.”

Before you go — make sure you know where you’re going.

You can check your precinct location ahead of time by going to your county’s elections website — there you can also view a sample ballot so you know who is on your ballot.

Polls are open from 7a.m. to 7p.m.

Election officials also want you to know that even though the governor did sign the SAVE Act, those changes do not go into effect until January of 2027.

You will be able to use the same identification method as years past.