Florida's Secretary of State expects Primary turnout of 20-25 percent

Election sign Vote Voting — Vote signs outside a precinct at Gulfport City Hall. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News Aug 2024.

After polls opened across Florida, Secretary of State Cord Byrd said Tuesday morning he expects turnout of 20 percent to 25 percent in the primary elections.

“We are at 15 percent right now,” Byrd told reporters. “We are probably expecting it to be about 20 to 25 percent, which is historically about where it would be with nothing pushing the ballot except for the local races.”

The primary is largely devoid of statewide races, though Republican and Democratic voters are casting ballots in a U.S. Senate race as incumbent Republican Rick Scott seeks a second term.

Nearly 1.33 million people had voted by mail, while 656,493 cast ballots at early-voting locations, according to data posted Tuesday morning on the state Division of Elections website.

Polls are open until 7 p.m. local time.

The state will start posting results at 8 p.m. Eastern time after polls close in parts of the Panhandle that are on Central time.