GADSDEN COUNTY, FL (WTXL) — Gadsden County is seeing a surge in early voting, with more than 5,000 people already casting their ballots.
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Elections officials say they're noticing something different this year — more younger generations are showing up to vote.
On Thursday, October 29, Gadsden County saw a record-breaking 630 people cast their ballots in a single day.
That's a sign of the growing participation election officials are seeing this year. With more young people making their way to the polls, some voters say it's important for the next generation to understand that their voices and their votes matter.
For many, voting is a way to have a say in the decisions that will shape their future and the communities they live in.
Gadsden County resident Arthur Donaldson says he believes younger voters are becoming more involved because they want to see change.
“Young people want change because you see a lot of things that are happening around now and by more young people coming to vote like they should it takes the numbers up because a lot of young people haven’t been voting like they normally would be but now they vote more because they want change,” Donaldson said.
The increase in turnout is something Gadsden County Supervisor of Elections Kenya Ponder Williams says she's also noticing.
Williams says her office has been using social media to encourage more people to vote, including a campaign called the “600 Challenge,” which encourages voters to help the county reach at least 600 voters each day.
“2022 averaged a little voters 300 voters a day. Were not averaging 500 that's why we stretch to get 600. We're trying to get 600 per day at least to come out and vote to put us at a very good spot. We want to go into Tuesday with 30% turnout and I think we will definitely pass that,” Williams said.
As of October 30, 5,377 people have voted early in Gadsden County — just 41 votes shy of the 5,418 recorded during the entire 2022 general election.
With early voting continuing through November 1, that number could still grow.
As of October 30, the county has 26,900 registered voters and 25 polling locations for Election Day.
The Supervisor of Elections Office will also host a “Bring Your Kid to Vote Day” on Saturday, giving children a chance to see the voting process up close.
Early voting continues through November 1. For more information on Election Day polling locations and where to vote visit here.
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