More than 220,000 Floridians cast their ballots since early voting began

LAND O' LAKES, Fla. - Pasco and Hernando counties are the latest counties in the Tampa Bay area to open polling locations for in-person early voters after 37 counties started on Monday.

According to the Division of Elections, as of Wednesday, more than 220,000 Floridians had already cast their ballots in person. 

Here are the latest numbers from counties across the Bay Area:

• Hillsborough: 14,555
• Pinellas: 4,899
• Sarasota: 8,065
• Manatee: 4,767
• Polk: 4,839

Many of these voters are new. Since this time in 2018, Florida has gained more than 1.2 million voters, most of them in the past two years. 

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With the election just two weeks away, voter demographics have changed. This time in 2020, there were 134,242 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

Now, there are 305,905 more Republicans registered than democrats.

"We’re trending Republican as of right now, but that doesn’t mean that we are going to become a red state overnight," said UCF political science professor Aubrey Jewett. "I still think that Florida is a competitive state and depending on what happens over the next two years, four years, six years, it could switch back."

More than 1.4 million Floridians have already voted by mail with Democratic voters having a slightly higher response rate compared to Republican voters with over 600,000 ballots sent in. You can still send those in. The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Saturday, Oct. 29.

Early voting in Pasco County runs from 7 a.m. -7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 through Wednesday, Nov. 5. Hernando County's early voting will go from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. until the 5th as well. 

Citrus County will begin on Friday. 

Regardless of what county you're voting in, be sure to bring a current photo ID with your signature.