If you’re planning to vote early in Sarasota or Manatee County, today is the deadline. Sarasota County early-voting sites close at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, while Manatee County sites close at 6 p.m. In Manatee, you can use any early-voting location in the county, and voters in both counties should bring a valid, current photo ID with a signature.
The numbers show plenty of your neighbors have already taken care of it. Sarasota County’s turnout dashboard reported 149,873 ballots cast by early Sunday afternoon, roughly 44.84% of its 334,228 registered voters. That total splits nearly evenly between 75,076 vote-by-mail ballots and 74,805 cast in person. Manatee County lists 289,850 active registered voters as of Sunday.
Miss today and Tuesday is your day: polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on November 3, and you’ll need to go to your assigned precinct rather than any early-voting site. Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the county Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. Tuesday, and a postmark doesn’t extend that deadline — so hand delivery may be your safest bet if you’re down to the wire.
Have you already voted, or are you headed out today? Tell us in the comments.
