FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A record number of ballots were mailed out during the August primary, and Broward County Supervisor of Elections Pete Antonacci expects even more expected for the November general election.
In fact, he’s Broward expecting to triple the amount.
“I’m planning on a 75% turnout in November, which is about 4.5% greater than there’s ever been in Broward County,” Antonacci said Thursday as the election was a topic of conversation in the county commision’s meeting.
“That’s a heap of voters. And I think in rough numbers there will be somewhere between 450,000 and 500,000 vote by mail, about 300,000 or so early votes and about 200,000 on election day.”
That would top the 2016 election, which saw a 70% turnout.
As was seen during the primary, a large influx of voters are deciding to vote by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic.
There has been tense scrutiny over the U.S. Postal Service, which was also addressed Thursday.
“I’m here to report to you a great deal of success with the post office,” Antonacci told commissioners. “And I’ve done the best that we can in our office to encourage people to use the services of the post office.”
Broward has already announced it will provide 24 vote-by-mail dropoff locations across the county ahead of Election Day, for voters who want to fill out their ballot ahead of time and deliver it without relying on the post office.