ELECTIONS

Cast your ballots: Early voting for 2018 primary has begun in Collier

Katherine Hamilton
Naples
Credit: iStock

Early voting for the Aug. 28 primary election started Saturday and will continue through Aug. 25.

Registered voters may cast their ballots at any of nine designated polling places from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., regardless of their home precinct. Voters must vote in their county, however. 

“It’s different from Election Day because if you go to early voting — whether you live on Marco or you’re voting in North Naples — you’re really not restricted to where you vote," said Collier Supervisor of Elections spokeswoman Trish Robertson. "Whereas, on Election Day, you legally have to vote within your assigned precinct."

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Candidates for County Commission, judge, clerk of courts and School Board are on the ballot in Collier along with primaries for U.S. senator, U.S. representative and Florida governor, agriculture commissioner and attorney general. 

Some races will be decided in the primary because candidates from only one party are running.

Early voting is meant to make it more convenient for voters to cast ballots and increase voter participation.

In the 2016 primary election, 32.7 percent of eligible voters participated, with 61,952 ballots cast out of 191,352 eligible voters. 

More than 11,000 people participated in early voting for the 2016 primary, about 18 percent of the total vote.

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Voter turnout jumps for general elections. Collier County had more than 80 percent participation in the last two general elections in 2012 and 2016.

“A lot of times, voters become disengaged when there isn’t a presidential race on the ballot, but these elections are so critical to our community and to the voters to participate in because they are what really shapes our government and shapes our community,” Robertson said. 

This year, the county is expecting a decrease in participation — to closer to 25 percent voter turnout, she said. 

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Of the people who voted in in the 2016 primary election, almost 60 percent opted to use a mail-in ballot. The county expects the same or greater percentage for the 2018 election.

"We've got a lot of seasonal votes," Robertson said. "It's the most convenient way to vote."

Where you can vote early

  • Collier County Government Complex, 3311 U.S. 41, East Naples
  • Everglades City Hall, 102 Copeland Ave. N.
  • Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Parkway
  • Immokalee Community Park, 321 N. First St.
  • Collier County Library Headquarters, 2385 Orange Blossom Drive, North Naples
  • Marco Island Library, 210 S. Heathwood Drive
  • Norris Center, 755 Eighth Ave. S.
  • North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Road, North Naples
  • Collier Supervisor of Elections Office, 3750 Enterprise Ave., East Naples

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