{"id":445618,"date":"2026-11-03T00:44:13","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T00:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/445618\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T00:44:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T00:44:13","slug":"nearly-40-of-orange-county-voters-have-already-cast-ballots-surpassing-2022-early-turnout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/445618\/","title":{"rendered":"Nearly 40% of Orange County voters have already cast ballots, surpassing 2022 early turnout"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Credit: Orange County Supervisor of Elections\/Facebook<\/p>\n

At least 324,987 registered voters in Orange County have already cast their ballots for the 2026 midterm election, according to Orange County Supervisor of Elections data<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s nearly 40 percent of Orange County\u2019s total number of registered voters. The vast majority of those who voted early or voted by mail are registered Democrats.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Out of all of those who have voted so far, 48.5 percent are registered Democrats, 26.6 percent are registered Republicans, and 25 percent are No Party Affiliated or registered with a minor party.<\/p>\n

Voter turnout is a key metric that\u2019s being eyed across the U.S. this year by both major parties alike, especially during a midterm election year. Voter turnout tends to be lower in midterm election cycles compared to turnout in presidential election years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Voter turnout, and the votes cast, this year are also expected to offer insights into voter sentiment around the leadership of President Donald Trump \u2014 especially among the Republican base \u2014 and how that will affect how people vote on a state and local level.<\/p>\n

So far, Orange County is on its way to exceeding its total voter turnout during the 2022 midterm election cycle. Just under 47 percent<\/a> of registered voters in Orange County cast their ballots in 2022, and that includes votes cast that Election Day (not just early voting).<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s on the ballot?<\/p>\n

One of the most high-profile races statewide in Florida this year is the U.S. Senate special election race featuring incumbent GOP Sen. Ashley Moody up against Angie Nixon<\/a>, a progressive Democratic state lawmaker from Jacksonville who scored an upset victory against presumed frontrunner Alex Vindman during the August primary election.<\/p>\n

Moody, who formerly served as Florida Attorney General, was appointed \u2014 not elected \u2014 to her U.S. Senate seat last year by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill a vacancy left by now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Florida voters this year will also be determining Florida\u2019s next governor. Outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was first elected governor in 2018, is term-limited from running for re-election.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Running to succeed him are Republican Congressman Byron Donalds \u2014 a Trump ally who received an early endorsement from the president last year \u2014 and former-Republican-turned-Democrat David Jolly.<\/p>\n

On a local level, Orange County voters will also be deciding<\/a> Orange County\u2019s next mayor, since current Mayor Jerry Demings is also term-limited from running for re-election.<\/p>\n

Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell is facing off against medical device technology CEO Chris Messina for mayor in a Tuesday runoff after besting former U.S. House Rep. Stephanie Murphy and Orange County commissioner Mayra Uribe in the August primary.<\/p>\n

Although the mayoral race<\/a> is officially nonpartisan, Moore Russell is a registered Democrat, while Messina \u2014 who\u2019s never held political office before \u2014 is a registered Republican.<\/p>\n

Orange County also has four county commission seats on the ballot, including two new seats that were added following a vote by residents in 2024 to expand the County Commission to accommodate the county\u2019s population growth.<\/p>\n

County commissioner Michael Crabb is running to retain his newly-acquired seat representing District 2 against former state lawmaker Kamia Brown. Commissioner Mike Scott is defending his District 6 seat against challenger Lawanna Gelzer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the new District 7 seat, retired Florida Department of Corrections employee Patricia\u00a0 Rumph \u2014 backed by much of the local Democratic establishment \u2014 is running against former city commissioner Vicki Vargo. And for the new District 8 seat, former state Sen. Vic Torres is up against former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio staffer Jeannette Qui\u00f1ones Hern\u00e1ndez.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Orlando\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tHere\u2019s a rundown of candidates on the ballot in Orlando and Orange County\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

A broader look at turnout<\/p>\n

Statewide, voter turnout is also hovering at about 40 percent as of publication. According to the News Service of Florida<\/a>, roughly 38 percent of Florida Republicans have already cast their ballot through early voting or mail ballots, compared to 49 percent of registered Democrats.<\/p>\n

There are roughly<\/a> 1.5 million more registered Republicans in Florida than Democrats, although NPA and minor party voters also make up roughly one-quarter of the state\u2019s electorate.<\/p>\n

Republicans have controlled Florida\u2019s state legislature since 1996, and currently outnumber Democrats more than two-to-one. Florida hasn\u2019t seen a Democratic governor since 1999.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Florida Democratic Party \u2014 buoyed by President Donald Trump\u2019s record low approval rating<\/a> ahead of Election Day \u2014 is hopeful that they\u2019ll be able to successfully defend and flip some seats in Florida, including competitive Congressional seats and state-level positions in the Florida House and Senate.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor nearly 30 years, Republicans have had complete control in Tallahassee, and what do Floridians have to show for it? An affordability crisis that\u2019s pricing families out of their own communities, skyrocketing insurance premiums, attacks on our public schools, and politicians who care more about protecting their own power than serving the people who elected them,\u201d FDP chair Nikkie Fried said in a closing ad from the FDP.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFloridians are tired of paying the price for Republican failures,\u201d the ad continues. \u201cTomorrow, we have a chance to say enough is enough. We deserve better, and we deserve leaders who will finally put Florida families first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where to vote Tuesday<\/p>\n

Early voting in Orange County ended Sunday night. Your only chance to vote at this point is to show up to your designated polling location tomorrow. You must be at your designed polling location, specifically, (listed on your voter registration card) to cast a ballot.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. countywide. If you don\u2019t know your polling location, you can find your designated location by inputting your address online at the Supervisor of Elections website here<\/a> or by calling the Supervisor of Elections office at 407-836-2070<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you have a vote-by-mail ballot, you\u2019ll also want to turn that in in-person to avoid delays.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve already put your ballot in the mail but don\u2019t know if it\u2019s been counted yet, you can check the status of your ballot online here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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