Long lines on first day of early voting in Sarasota-Manatee region and across Florida

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sarasota resident Jennifer Fairley waits to vote in downtown Sarasota Monday morning. About 50 people were line at the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections’ downtown office when voting began at 8:30 a.m.

The line outside the elections office in downtown Sarasota began forming before sunrise Monday, two hours before the doors opened.

When in-person early voting began at 8:30 a.m., there were roughly 50 people already waiting to cast their ballots. As the sun rose higher, a steady stream of new arrivals kept the line outside the door.

It is not uncommon to have lines for the first day of in-person early voting in Florida, especially in big presidential elections. But Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner said “it’s been a long time” since the line for early voting was as long as it was Monday.

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“There’s high enthusiasm,” Turner said.

It was the same story in Manatee County and across Florida Monday, with long lines reported in communities from Jacksonville to Miami as the state’s two-week early voting period kicked off. Other states also have seen lines for early voting.

Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett said about 60 to 70 people were waiting in line when voting began at his office in downtown Bradenton Monday morning.

“I think it’s gonna be a big turnout this year,” Bennett said.

Voters said they are extremely motivated.

“It’s really important we make our voices known right now,” said Sarasota resident Sam Porcelli, a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. “The nonsense is overwhelming, and we need to put an end to it now. I wanted to be here on the first day, first hour.”

Sarasota resident Sam Porcelli waits to vote in downtown Sarasota Monday morning. About 50 people were line at the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections’ downtown office when voting began at 8:30 a.m.

More than 2.5 million Floridians already have voted by mail. That gush of ballots will accelerate now that in-person voting also is underway.

Porcelli, 65, said he requested a mail ballot but decided to vote in-person because he was worried about his ballot not counting.

“Any snafu and they’re tossing that ballot, so if I want my voice to be heard, I need to come here,” said the semi-retired executive recruiter for manufacturing businesses.

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Voters waited in line for more than an hour to cast their ballots Monday morning at some of Sarasota County’s eight early voting locations, according to an online dashboard operated by Turner’s office that lists wait times at each location. But the wait was less than an hour at most locations by late morning, and less than 30 minutes at half of them.

Other parts of the state had longer wait times. There were reports of voters waiting two hours or longer in some locations.

Sarasota resident Francine Santacroce waited about an hour to vote at the Sarasota Square Mall early voting location. There were nearly 100 people in line there at 3 p.m. Monday. Santacroce said she didn’t mind waiting.

“It was important for me to do my duty,” said the 63-year-old Publix meat cutter.

Santacroce always votes in person, saying: “It’s something I like the electricity of.” She was eager to cast her ballot for President Donald Trump.

“He’s had a proven track record,” she said, arguing he’s been successful despite “every time he’s tried to do something there’s been so much push against.”

Sarasota resident Francine Santacroce voted at the early voting location at Sarasota Square Mall Monday. She waited in line about an hour. There were lines at voting locations across Florida during the first day of in-person early voting, which continues for the next two weeks.

In-person early voting was the most popular form of voting in Florida in 2016. Mail voting almost certainly will eclipse it this year, but there still are a large number of people who would rather cast their ballots in person, and elections officials are expecting steady traffic at early voting locations across Florida.

“This will be big for the next 14 days,” Turner said.

Voters are being encouraged to social distance and wear masks.

At Sarasota’s downtown voting location, tape marks have been put on the floor to keep voters apart. Every voting booth is sterilized after it is used, and so is the equipment that voters touch, Turner said.

Despite the lines, Turner said people were in a good mood Monday. Turner woke up at 2 a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep. The anticipation and anxiety surrounding this election is high.

Sarasota resident Jennifer Fairley, 44, was among the first few dozen people in line Monday at the elections office downtown. She wanted to vote in person because “I don’t want to risk my vote not counting.”

“If you don’t vote, things don’t change,” she said.

Early voting continues every day until Nov. 1 in both Sarasota County and Manatee County. Voting locations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Sarasota County had roughly 6,500 people vote in person Monday, including 3,412 Republicans and 1,964 Democrats. There were 7,700 ballots cast in Sarasota County on the first day of early voting in 2016.

Democrats are dominating mail voting in Sarasota County. So far 42,214 Sarasota Democrats have voted by mail, compared with 27,634 Republicans and 16,374 no party and minor party voters.