FLORIDA — Early voting starts in Duval, St. Johns, and Putnam Counties on Monday, and political experts say there are plenty of benefits to getting your ballot in sooner rather than later.
The biggest benefit really comes down to the convenience factor. During early voting, you can go to any early vote site in your county to cast your vote, whereas on Election Day, you have to go to your specific precinct.
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More than 42,000 voters between the three counties have already cast their ballots via the mail.
But for those who prefer the in-person experience, early voting comes with some benefits.
Duval voters can come to any early vote site in the county to cast their ballot between the hours of 7 AM to 7 PM through November 3rd.
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St. Johns offers early voting through November 2nd between the hours of 8 AM and 6 PM.
Putnam also runs through November 2nd from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
All of those include weekends too. You’ll just need your ID.
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UNF political science professor Dr. Michael Binder says those who wait until Election Day risk the possibility of unforeseen obstacles like long lines or scheduling conflicts, so casting your ballot ahead of time ensures your vote will make it in.
“So, you have a lot of opportunities whenever it’s convenient for you to go and cast your ballot. And there’s a lot of things to vote for, so it’s going to take you a minute this time around,” Dr. Binder said.
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