Voter turnout drastically down compared to previous midterm election, officials say

Early voting down compared to previous midterms

Evan Axelbank reports

TAMPA, Fla. - We are one week away from Election Day eve and, with so much is on the line in these midterm contests. Voting is already well underway in all 67 Florida counties, but will we see the turnout we saw during the previous midterm?

The number of early voters and mail-in ballots in some counties are behind the pace we saw four years ago. Only one major county is ahead of pace, as campaigning enters the final week.

Voters have made up their minds on who they're voting for and on how important it is to vote, in the first place. Hillsborough's election supervisor is watching early, in-person and mail ballot returns with some concern. Eight days before the 2018 midterms, 22% of the county had already voted by this time.

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A week before election day, that number is at 19.7% and there are 67,000 more voters, which means it will be even tougher to hit the 62% turnout Hillsborough saw in 2018.

Officials say your vote is your voice in Pinellas County, where there is a hotly contested Congressional race. Turnout is at 20.5% so far. Compared to 24.75% in 2018.

In Polk County, Marco Rubio tried to motivate base Republican voters Monday against his opponent, Val Demings. Turnout there is at 15.5%.

At this point in 2018, it was at 16.6%.

For now, the message from the motivated is: you can't whine if you didn't vote.