More Than 4.2 Million Floridians Have Already Voted as Early Voting Ends Saturday
Florida's early vote has passed 4.2 million ballots heading into the final day of early voting Saturday, with Republicans holding a narrow share lead — and Election Day itself, Tuesday, November 3, still to come.
More than 4.2 million Floridians have already cast ballots in the 2026 midterm election, four days out from Election Day. About 2.5 million people have voted in person during early voting, and another 1.8 million have returned vote-by-mail ballots, according to the latest state tally reported Friday.
The party split is close. The University of Florida Election Lab tally shows registered Republicans accounting for 40.4 percent of ballots cast, registered Democrats 38.6 percent, and voters with no party affiliation or a minor party the remaining 21.1 percent — a narrow Republican edge in a state where both parties are making final appeals, including gubernatorial candidate David Jolly campaigning in The Villages on Friday and President Donald Trump expected in Daytona Beach for Republican candidate Byron Donalds.
Florida's mandatory early voting period runs through Saturday, October 31 — in Escambia County, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 10 locations — while a handful of counties, including Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota, offer early voting through November 1. After that, the only remaining chance is Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, when polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time and voters must go to their assigned precinct. Completed vote-by-mail ballots must reach the elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
