GOP holds slight early voting edge

Republicans have a slight edge on Democrats in early voting in Florida’s midterm contests, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

With just one week until Election Day, Republicans have cast 42 percent of the votes, 2 percentage points higher than registered Democrats.

A strong weekend gave Democrats the edge in inperson early voting, but Republicans hold the advantage in mail-in voting.

As expected, independent voters will likely be the deciders. About 17 percent of ballots cast so far have been by independent, or no party affiliation, voters.

Overall turnout is up significantly from the previous midterm election in 2014.

Democratic political strategist Steve Schale wrote in an analysis Monday that the strong turnout among Democratic voters Sunday has him feeling better, but he still doesn’t “feel great” about the earlyvoting numbers.

“This still feels closer than the polls, and while I absolutely believe NPA (no

party affiliation) voters will decide it — as they typically do in Florida, how close things are from a partisan perspective dictates by how much our side has to win the NPA vote,” Schale wrote.

A Real Clear Politics average of polls shows Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum with a slight edge over his Republican opponent Ron DeSantis. Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson also has a slight edge over challenger Republican Gov. Rick Scott, according to Real Clear Politics. A CBS News poll showed the race in a tie.

On Twitter, Daniel Smith, a University of Florida political scientist, wrote the latest early-voting tallies “should be of grave concern to Democrats in Florida.”

Smith, who has been analyzing early-voting numbers, wrote he has not seen an uptick in voting by people of color or younger voters. The biggest surge is among 45- to 64-year-olds, he wrote.

Both parties are pushing hard to rally their base and turn out voters before and on Nov. 6.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to headline a rally Wednesday in the Fort Myers area, followed by a rally in Pensacola on Saturday. Former President Barack Obama will be in Miami on Friday.