ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida candidates and political groups are making a final push to turn out voters this weekend as early voting continues in Orange County and across the region ahead of the 2026 election.
Lines stretched out the door Friday afternoon at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office as voters cast ballots. Early voting in Orange County ends Sunday, Nov. 1.
Tiffany Moore Russell, who is running for Orange County mayor, said her campaign is focused on reaching voters in the final stretch.
“It’s the final push. It’s knocking on doors. It’s phone banking around the clock, just making sure people are getting out to the polls to exercise their vote,” Russell said.
Chris Messina, who is also running for Orange County mayor, said he is meeting with business owners, distributing campaign materials and speaking with voters across communities.
“We’re going out and talking to voters in every community. The Asian American community, the Hispanic American community, Haitian American community… We’re listening to them. We’re listening to their challenges, their problems,” Messina said.
Early voting numbers across Florida have drawn attention from political analysts. As of Friday, Republicans had an 89,000-vote edge in early voting statewide. At the same point in the 2022 midterm election, Republicans led by more than 315,000 votes.
Spectrum News 13 political analyst Eddie Fernandez said Republicans have an early voting edge across the nine counties that make up Central Florida. However, he said Democrats are ahead so far in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties combined.
Fernandez said Democrats are trying to build up early voting numbers, while Republicans are working to ensure voters who typically cast ballots on Election Day turn out this year.
“They may be a little bit comfortable. That’s the concern for Republicans. Making sure the voter turnout occurs in spite of already being in power in DC, Tallahassee and other places,” Fernandez said.
Kevin Kelly, vice chair of the Orange County Republicans, said he took the day off from work Friday to help get out the vote and answer questions from voters.
“A lot of the things we’re doing right now revolve around our voter guide and helping voters understand where they’re gonna go and when they can go,” Kelly said.
Jarred Cornell, campaigns chair for Orange County Democrats, said volunteers are working on campaigns across the county.
“We’re knocking people’s doors. Doing phone banking, texting, mailing voter guides and meeting them at early voting locations to hand out Democratic voter guides,” Cornell said.
Leaders from both parties said voters who have already cast ballots can focus on encouraging friends and family members to vote.