Florida Republicans are piling into early-voting sites, with official numbers revealing a commanding lead over Democrats in the in-person count. This shift marks a significant change from the initial wave of pre-Election Day ballots, which was dominated by vote-by-mail.
According to the Florida Department of State’s Thursday morning update, 234,959 registered Republicans had voted early in person compared with 210,883 registered Democrats—a Republican advantage of 24,076 votes. The red margin continued to expand as voting progressed Thursday.
By 8:05 a.m. Thursday, the state reported 552,198 total in-person early votes. Registered Republicans accounted for 234,959 (42.6%), while Democrats cast 210,883 ballots (38.2%). No-party-affiliation voters submitted 92,842 ballots, and those registered with other parties totaled 13,514.
These figures are compiled from daily county reports that must be submitted by 8 a.m., with additional updates at noon, 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. Florida’s voting data tracks party registration—not candidate preferences on ballots. A registered Republican may vote for a Democratic candidate and vice versa; independent voters remain unassigned to either party.
The state reports these numbers as measures of turnout composition rather than election outcomes. Each cast ballot reduces the need for follow-up before Election Day, making this surge particularly significant for campaigns. Florida Republicans have urged voters to secure ballots early as additional counties open early-voting locations.
Democrats maintain a lead in mail ballots: Florida’s Thursday report listed 484,785 Democratic and 405,970 Republican mail ballots—a margin of 78,815. When combining mail and in-person voting, Democrats still lead by 54,739 (695,668 to 640,929). However, Republicans’ in-person surge is rapidly narrowing this gap.
Florida’s Division of Elections notes early voting runs from October 24 through October 31, with some counties opening as early as October 19. Election Day remains November 3. Thursday’s results underscore Republicans’ active participation in early voting, demonstrating growing momentum in the in-person count.
