ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Early voting for a local special election ends Sunday in Orange County.
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Voters have a chance to cast their ballots in the State House Race for District 35 before Election Day on Tuesday.
The district covers parts of Orange and Osceola counties.
Osceola County residents who haven’t yet voted will now have to wait until Nov. 7 since Early Voting ended there on Saturday.
Orange County residents have until 6 p.m. on Sunday to vote at one of three locations.
So far, voter turnout has been low.
“We’re disappointed,” said Bill Cowles, Orange County Supervisor of Elections. “We’re going through this effort to give them an opportunity to vote on their representation in their local environment.”
“Over the course of time, people have become disengaged,” Quinten Simmon-Johnson said. “And I think what has happened is really a lack of understanding when folks are not feeling heard or seen, it’s easy to throw in the towel and say, ‘What’s the point?’”
Nearly 57,000 voters requested a mail-in ballot. Over 14,000 have been sent back, and 2,100 people have voted in person.
Read: Osceola County violates state law by printing party affiliation on absentee ballot envelopes
“This is important, for me and everyone, Simmon-Johnson said. “You have folks that are literally working several jobs to keep food on the table. You have policies within this city of Orlando that are having businesses really making hard decisions about closing up shop because (of) some of the enforcements in place.”
In this election, three seats for city council members and the Orlando mayor are also on the ballot.
Election officials said that because it’s a local election, many people do not turn up to vote, and although early voting ends soon, many people are expected to show up on Nov. 7.
“Everybody understands the importance of voting for the president of the United States because of our democracy,” Cowles said.
“It’s a shame they don’t feel the same way about their state, county and city government.”
Orange County
If you are planning to vote early in Orange County, you can do so through Sunday, Nov. 5.
Here are the voting locations, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.:
- Alafaya Branch Library - 12000 E. Colonial Dr, Orlando, Florida 32826
- Orange County Supervisor of Elections - 119 W. Kaley St, Orlando, Florida 32806
- Valencia College/Lake Nona Campus - 12350 Narcoossee Rd, Orlando, Florida 32832
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