FLAGLER

Early voting kicks off in Volusia, Flagler for Florida's primary election

Seth Robbins
seth.robbins@news-jrnl.com

DAYTONA BEACH — Outside the library on City Island, the earliest of early voters walked through a busy and clamorous parking lot.

Campaign signs festooned the grounds. Party supporters brandished pamphlets. Vendors from a farmers market hawked produce nearby and a preacher's sermons echoed on a loudspeaker.

Once past the library's doors, however, voters entered a calm and cool lobby, with no wait at all to cast their ballots in Florida's primary election.

"We always go on the first day," said Richard Lingenfelter, of Daytona Beach Shores, who had just exited the library with his wife, Deborah.

"Early voting is so nice, friendly and fast," she added.

Lisa Lewis, Volusia's supervisor of elections, said that Saturday's first day of voting went off without a hitch.

"All was smooth," she said. "We had 1,911 voters. We were hoping for 2,000."

After polls closed about 5 p.m. in Volusia County, Democrats and Republicans had voted in nearly identical numbers, with 860 ballots cast by Democrats and 880 by Republicans. In Flagler County, the website for the supervisor of elections showed 752 votes tallied, with 294 by Democrats and 413 by Republicans.

Republicans also had an early edge in returning vote-by-mail ballots. With nearly 83,600 sent out in Volusia, Republicans had returned some 15,600 ballots, compared to 11,400 by Democrats. In Flagler, of the 4,578 vote-by-mail ballots sent out, Republicans had returned 2,417, compared to 1,628 by Democrats.

Lewis said voters are increasingly taking advantage of early voting and vote-by-mail.

"I think it's the convenience, not having to worry about waiting in line on election day," Lewis said. "With early voting, you can go to any one of the five sites we have opened, and vote-by-mail, you can do it from the comfort of home."

Many of the people who streamed into the library early Saturday agreed, saying that convenience trumped politics when it came to what drove them to the polls prior to the Aug. 28 primary.

Pedro Dash, of Ormond Beach, said that voting early allowed him to read the ballot without pressure.

"It allows me to make a calm decision," he said.

Early voting, however, wasn't for everybody. Patty Shevlin, of South Daytona, said she prefers to vote on Election Day.

"I like the way it feels," she said. "Sometimes, I get a lump in my throat."

By the bridge, standing on a ledge, Essina Carr, 7, held up a sign for her candidate — her godfather and pastor, Danny Fuqua, who is running for Daytona Beach's Zone 1 City Commission seat. She called out to the passing motorists.

"You got that one guy," her mother, Pamela, said.

For Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professors Andy and Maria Ludu, the simple act of voting was something they did not take for granted, after having lived in Romania under Communist rule. They said they became citizens in the early 2000s.

"It's about pride and freedom," he said.

Scott Cable saw voting similarly. He's a reservist in the Air Force.

"I've fought for people," he said, "who have lost their hands for voting."

Early voting started Saturday and takes place daily in Volusia County from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Aug. 26. Early voting ends in Flagler County on Aug. 25 and hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Here's a list of sites:

  • Volusia County administration building, 123 W. Indiana. Ave., DeLand
  • Deltona Regional Library, 2150 Eustace Ave., Deltona
  • City Island library, 105. E. Magnolia, Ave., Daytona Beach
  • Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach
  • New Smyrna Beach Regional Library, 1001 S. Dixie Freeway, NSB
  • Flagler Supervisor of Elections Office, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell
  • Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway NW, Palm Coast
  • Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Palm Coast

Early voting times, spots